Father of Franklin High student whose death was ruled a suicide says alleged bully should be held accountable
The father of the 17-year-old Los Angeles high school student who jumped to his death over a fourth-floor railing amid claims he was bullied at school says his son’s alleged tormentor should be held accountable.“He should be accountable for what he did,” William Amaya, 40, father of Benjamin Franklin High School student Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, told the California Post while protesting the lack of law enforcement on school grounds outside an LA Unified School District board meeting Tuesday.A boy accused of beating Xavier has not been publicly identified, and no charges have been filed against him.“Bullying was a factor.I don’t think no one in their right mind would jump off the fourth floor,” Amaya said.
“This would have been prevented if enforcement was on campus.”He added that neither the school, the district nor the Los Angeles Police Department has contacted him or his family.“Our hearts are with family, friends, and the Franklin High School community as they grieve this loss,” an LAUSD spokesperson told The Post.“However, we are unable to comment about individual circumstances due to confidentiality and privacy laws.” Xavier died Sept.
30 from multiple blunt traumatic injuries to the head and torso, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said, ruling his death a suicide.Amaya declined to say whether the family had sought legal representation or planned any action against the district, saying they would issue a statement later.
His first priority, he said, was laying his son to rest.The LAPD, which is investigating the teen’s death, said last week that bullying may not have been a factor.“At this preliminary stage of the investigation, detectives have not identified evidence establishing a connection between allegations of bullying and the student’s death,” the department said.The teen’s grieving father told The Post his son was “not suicidal.”“He was not,” Amaya said.“He was looking forward to start working, he...