Charlotte O’Brien was a year 7 student at the all-girls school Santa Sabina College, where she battled depression and bullying from senior students before taking her own life, leaving behind a grieving family who demanded justice for the loss of innocent life.
The news came forward on September 15, 2024, after Charlotte’s family came forward with the tragic incident. They claimed that the 12-year-old had previously complained about her situation to the concerned department at the college.
However, the college prevented her from publicly revealing her story and swept the incident under the rug to save their reputation. In her final note, Charlotte expressed that life was too difficult for her to go on.
Moreover, 2GB’s host, Ben Fordham, had a private conversation with the child’s family and revealed heartbreaking details about the case. During his recent episode, Fordham revisited statements from Charlotte’s parents, whose identities have been hidden.
Her father shared an emotional message in a letter to the host, “We lost our baby girl in the most awful of circumstances. No words can ever describe what it’s like for us, and it will never be the same again. Charlotte has left such a big hole in our lives, and she’s deeply missed.“
Likewise, Charlotte’s father mentioned that the girls who bullied the 12-year-old to her demise still attend the school without any consequence for their actions that have left an irreplaceable void in the family’s life.
Despite receiving several complaints for two years, Santa Sabina College closed the case when the accused girls denied bullying Charlotte O’Brien. Such an incident at the school has raised questions about the student’s safety and the school’s responsibility towards the matter.
Charlotte O’Brien was in therapy and took regular medicine for her condition, which worsened as time passed by!
The 2GB episode mentioned that Charlotte often talked to her family about her situation at school. Still, they were helpless in front of the authorities, who didn’t do anything in her case.
Likewise, the child often texted her mother, and some of her final messages read, “My body fills with pain until my heart explodes.”
Soon after the case gained attention, Santa Sabina College principal Paulina Skerman thanked people for supporting Charlotte and her family during this difficult time. In addition to the public statement, the principal said she was unaware of some of the claims aired on 2GB.
Despite Charlotte’s parents’ tragedy, Skerman said, “At this stage, we do not plan to speak to our Year 7 students. My advice is not to speak to your daughters unless they raise it with you. With exams coming up, we want the girls to be settled and focused on their learning.“
On the other hand, one of Charlotte’s friends came forward, recalling some of the incidents at school, proving the extreme levels of bullying that took place at Santa Sabina College.
Her friend recalled receiving a Snapchat message from Charlotte, where she was crying on September 9. She mentioned that Charlotte went to shower and promised to call her back later but never did, as she took her life in the shower.
Similarly, Charlotte’s mother blamed herself for her child’s demise, saying Charlotte hadn’t understood what she was doing. She emphasized that other students shouldn’t blame themselves either in this situation.
In an emotional message, her mother stated, “I don’t want any other mum not being able to wake up their child in the morning. They are also just little girls, so they don’t understand.“
Additional Information
- If you or someone you know has been going through a similar situation, please call the Lifeline and Beyond Blue helpline at 13 11 14 or 1300 22 4636. You can also visit their website for additional support.
- According to the Australian Suicide Program, the suicide rate of females under age 25 was 15.5%, whereas the male population under age 25 had a rate of 10.5%.
