'Bullied' New Jersey schoolgirl, 11, killed herself in school bathroom

Publish date: 2024-05-07

A New Jersey girl tormented by bullies was found dead by suicide in a school bathroom a week after her cop father died from cancer.

Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez, 11, was unconsciously hanging in a closed stall at F.W. Holbein School when she was found by another middle school student on February 6 around 1pm.

Officials battled to save the sixth-grader’s life but she was later pronounced dead by complications of suicide once surveillance footage proved she was alone in the restroom when she died and no foul play was involved, prosecutors said. 

Her mother, Elaina LoAlbo, has since revealed Felicia was being bullied and is requesting tapes to confirm her daughter’s cause of death. Only a few days before, Felicia had buried her father NJ Detective Alexis Melendez, who died of pancreatic cancer on January 26. 

Felicia’s death comes days after fellow New Jersey schoolgirl Adriana Kuch took her own life after being taunted with texts from the bullies who beat her in the school halls.

Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez, 11, died by suicide after taking her life in a New Jersey school restroom stall on February 6, officials said

Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez, 11, died by suicide after taking her life in a New Jersey school restroom stall on February 6, officials said

Her mother, Elaina LoAlbo, has since revealed Felicia was being bullied and is requesting tapes to confirm her daughter's cause of death. Pictured: Felicia with her mother Elaina

Her mother, Elaina LoAlbo, has since revealed Felicia was being bullied and is requesting tapes to confirm her daughter’s cause of death. Pictured: Felicia with her mother Elaina 

According to Elaina, her daughter emailed F. W. Holbein School officials to inform them she was being bullied and called staff out for not taking action. The letter was one of many Felicia sent that officials never dug into.

‘She herself had written numerous emails to the administration detailing the events, yet no one was ever questioned,’ Elaina told NJ. 

A month before her death, Felicia wrote another letter to school officials to propose a ‘trauma club’ to provide a safe space for students to unwind. 

‘I was watching TV and thinking about the things in my life that happened to me and I got a great idea. Instead of drama club, it would be a trauma club … I would help and provide as much as I can,’ the email Felicia wrote reads, according to the new outlet.

‘It would need a room that is not too big and not too small. We would need a couple of chairs too. But I hope this does happen. I for one have heard from my friends and others about things that have happened to them and I think this would be a fantastic thing. Have a great night. Go dragons.’ 

Weeks after Felicia’s death, investigators and prosecutors haven’t pin pointed Felicia’s bullies or how she was tormented.

‘They have swept under the rug, the bullying that she and so many other kids in that school have encountered and now they’re doing the same with this investigation,’ Elaina said.

Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office didn’t comment on questions from DailyMail.com about whether they were pursuing the 11-year-old’s bullies in connection to her death.

Rather, prosecutors concluded, ‘an investigation into the student’s death by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, which included a review of the school’s surveillance cameras, determined that she was alone in the restroom when this tragic action occurred.

‘The investigation further determined that no foul play was involved.’

F.W. Holbein School wasn’t immediately available for comment.

The sixth-grader had been tormented by bullies leading up to her death and attempted to warn school officials several times, her mom said. Pictured: Felicia with her mom Elaina and father Alexis

The sixth-grader had been tormented by bullies leading up to her death and attempted to warn school officials several times, her mom said. Pictured: Felicia with her mom Elaina and father Alexis

Officials battled to save the sixth-grader's life but she was later pronounced dead by suicide once surveillance footage proved she was alone in the restroom when she died, prosecutors said

Officials battled to save the sixth-grader’s life but she was later pronounced dead by suicide once surveillance footage proved she was alone in the restroom when she died, prosecutors said

According to Elaina, her daughter emailed F. W. Holbein School officials to inform them she was being bullied and called staff out for not taking action

A month before her death, Felicia wrote another letter to school officials to propose a 'trauma club' to provide a safe space for students to unwind

A month before her death, Felicia wrote another letter to school officials to propose a ‘trauma club’ to provide a safe space for students to unwind

A chilling voice memo from Felicia’s phone was also released on Elaina’s Facebook that features the 11-year-old telling her future self to never be a bully. 

‘Unless you’re me, well you’re listening to this from the future,’ Felicia said in the 2021 memo. 

‘Say hello to future mom, future dad… future everyone. Never, never never be bad, never give up on your friends, never, ever… be a bully.’

A father of Felicia’s friend later revealed at a March 15 school board meeting that he knew the 11-year-old was being bullied and regretted not taking action sooner.

‘My daughter confided in me that Felicia was being bullied by other members of her class,’ Seth Turner shared. ‘I failed to convey this information to any teachers or staff in time for anything to be done, and I need to apologize for this,’ he said.

While no response to the death of an 11-year-old girl can ever be truly adequate, our response to this tragedy so far has been pathetic,’ Turner continued.

Turner added that Felicia was a ‘bright kid.’ 

‘Felicia deserves better. She deserves a full investigation, she deserves a full accounting and she deserves truth, and I hope that we can give it to her,’ he said.

Now, grieving Elaina is left with two holes in her heart after losing Felicia and her father, who was a New Jersey transit detective. 

‘As a plain clothes officer, Melendez helped to protect your travels as he blended amongst the traveling public,’ the New Jersey Transit Police Department wrote on Twitter. ‘The countless actions he took, always served to ensure your safety.’

‘At our department, Melendez will be remembered for his hard work and dedication, his cheerful demeanor, and his deep laugh. No matter the assignment or detail, Detective Melendez’s presence was always an asset,’ the department said, according to the Daily Voice.

A chilling voice memo from Felicia's phone was also released on Elaina's Facebook that features the 11-year-old telling her future self to never be a bully

A chilling voice memo from Felicia’s phone was also released on Elaina’s Facebook that features the 11-year-old telling her future self to never be a bully 

NJ Detective Alexis Melendez, who died of pancreatic cancer on January 26. He was remembered by his department 'for his hard work and dedication'

NJ Detective Alexis Melendez, who died of pancreatic cancer on January 26. He was remembered by his department ‘for his hard work and dedication’

On February 3 in the New Jersey town of Berkeley Township, 14-year-old Adriana Kuch died by suicide in her bedroom at her family home after being bullied and beat in the school hallway, a video revealed.

Hours beforehand, she had received a taunting message from one of the girls who filmed the attack, making fun of her for ‘dripping’ blood on the floor, and being ‘whooped,’ her father previously told DailyMail.com. 

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