Durham 8th grader who loved music and art is being remembered after death by suicide
Claudia Ortega remembers the cards and letters her daughter Gabriela would give her on Mother’s Day and her birthday, “each one filled with love and tenderness.”
“With Gaby’s passing, we have lost the one who always brought peace and serenity to our lives and to those around her,” Ortega wrote on an online fundraiser to help pay unexpected expenses after her daughter’s death by suicide last month.
Gabriela Aparicio Ortega was an eighth-grade student at Durham School of the Arts. Flowers and ribbons now decorate a small tree in front of the school along with a photo of Gabriela, who had a passion for music and art.
“I’ll always cherish the memories of her accompanying me on walks and running errands together,” Ortega wrote. “She had a natural empathy for everyone around her and was (a) calming presence.”
Gabriela had three siblings, Jason, Annette Michele and Jessica, according to her mother and father, Mario.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, the GoFundMe fundraiser had raised over $13,000 to help Gabriela’s family.
Concerns of bullying
Alexandra Valladares, a former Durham school board member, said Gabriela dreamed of celebrating her 15th birthday in New York on July 26 and wanted to attend the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham.
Valladares said bullying contributed to Ortega’s death, according to her family. In a social media post, she criticized the school system for not providing “meaningful support” to Ortega’s family and said Latino families have reported cases of bullying in the past.
The News & Observer has reached out to Gabriela’s family for more information. Several people who knew her called attention on social media to bullying in Durham schools and said the teen had experienced incidents at Durham School of the Arts.
On Monday evening, Durham Public Schools sent a statement to DSA parents saying it was not sharing details about Gabriela’s death out of respect for her family but that counselors were available to talk with students.
Superintendent Anthony Lewis plans to honor Gabriela at a Board of Education work session meeting Thursday.
DPS added that schools offer mental health services and Comprehensive Social-Emotional Learning, or SEL, programs that include lessons that address bullying. The school system’s student code of conduct also prohibits bullying and harassment and categorizes it as a “Level II” offense that results in a short-term suspension of up to 10 days or long-term suspension depending on the severity.
Child and teen suicide rates spike in NC
Suicides and rates of anxiety and depression among young people have spiked in recent years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In North Carolina, about 1 in 5 high school students seriously considered suicide in 2023, according to data collected by NC Child, a group tracking the wellness of children in the state.
NC Child says since 2016, suicide has been a leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14. In 2020, 67 children and young people 18 or younger died by suicide in the state.
About 40% of high school students in North Carolina reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023, according to the CDC.
“When everyone hears of a death by suicide, especially in an eighth grader as a young person whose life has barely started, every human feels awful about that,” said Patrick Sullivan, a professor in UNC’s Department of Genetics and the director of the school’s Suicide Prevention Institute. “This is something that affects the whole network.”
No single factor causes suicide, Sullivan said. Issues including trauma, poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, demographics, and identity can all lead to a person taking their life.
Bullying can affect young people’s mental health but isn’t the sole cause of suicide, suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts, according to StopBullying.gov.
A recent survey by the state Department of Health and Human Services estimated nearly 40% of middle and 14% of high school students have been bullied on school property.
Additionally, many young people have been distressed by political and social events in recent years, causing many of them to struggle mentally.
“I think a lot of kids perceive the world as an uncertain place right now, and that doesn’t help either,” Sullivan said. “The uncertainty and stresses about that can come from a lot of different sources.”
Mental health resources
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else.
To speak with someone, dial 988.
The lifeline can also be accessed through online chat and its website at 988lifeline.org.
The Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support.
To speak with a trained listener, text HOME to 741741. This free, confidential service is available 24/7.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is also available for anyone struggling with a mental illness. To get help, dial 800-950-HELP (6264) if someone you know is struggling with mental illness.
The Trevor Project Serves LGBTQ+ people who need support. To speak with someone through the 24/7 crisis hotline, call 866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678.
In Durham, there are several mental health and counseling services offered through local, state and educational centers that can be accessed online at durhamnc.gov/HEART.
This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 6:09 PM.