Three high school hockey players suspended after 16-year-old takes her own life, parents say
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line).
CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.
A 16-year-old Pinellas County girl took her own life just days before the start of her senior year at East Lake High School. McKenna Brown's parents say their daughter was severely bullied and harassed online.
Now, three of McKenna's hockey teammates who were allegedly behind the harassment have now been suspended by the Lightning High School Hockey League, according to her mother, Cheryl Brown.
It's been more than two months since McKenna took her own life, and Cheryl said she's devastated. She said her daughter cared about others and was a fearless goalie on the ice who always put others' needs before her own.
"She was the one that would look out for people that felt left out," Cheryl said.
Since FOX 13 first spoke with McKenna's mom in August, more has surfaced about what happened in the hours before her daughter's death.
"She was attacked," Cheryl said. "Her integrity was attacked. She was called a bunch of names."
Cheryl said McKenna was bombarded with text messages that were sent by a teammate and one close friend of five years who her daughter traveled with to countless hockey tournaments.
Three of McKenna's hockey teammates, who were behind the harassment, have been suspended by the Lightning High School Hockey League, her mom Cheryl Brown says.
Cheryl read some of the text messages: "'You've done all of us wrong'... ‘I hope I never see you again’..."
"McKenna had asked the one friend/teammate if she'd mind if she talked to her ex-boyfriend from two years earlier, and she said it was OK," Cheryl told FOX 13. "She then realized a few days later that it wasn't OK with a friend based on how she retaliated."
As Cheryl explained, the messages were in response to a message McKenna sent to the teammate apologizing for talking to the teammate's ex-boyfriend.
"In doing so, it enraged this particular person and just amped up the attack," Cheryl said.
That's when she said the teammate took to social media, encouraging her followers to cut ties with McKenna. "The intent was to cancel her. In fact, one friend, in quotes, said that her mission was to ‘leave her without a single friend.'"
McKenna's mom believes the harsh words brought McKenna to a breaking point. Her daughter took her own life hours later.
"No one's perfect, but how do you do that to somebody? No one deserves that."
Some parents and teammates were appalled after hearing what happened and reached out to the Lightning High School Hockey League to file complaints on McKenna's behalf. Kim Walters and her daughter Sarah were among them.
Some parents and teammates reached out to the Lightning High School Hockey League to file complaints on McKenna's behalf.
"She always cared about other people, so I know if that were me, she would be doing the same thing for me and having my back," McKenna's teammate Sarah Walters said.
The league opened an investigation and so did Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida (SAHOF). USA Hockey called in an independent council to do their own investigation.
So far, Cheryl said three players have been suspended by the high school league pending the investigation's outcome.
"They deemed that it was a breach of their code of conduct — cyberbullying code of conduct," Cheryl said.
She said she was baffled when she saw the teammate who sent the texts at McKenna's funeral. For now, she said she's putting her faith in the ongoing investigations, hopeful the teens realize the power behind their words.
"I just wish she could have seen through it too. The suspensions would have still happened and repercussions would have been there, and she'd still be here," Cheryl said.
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line).
CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.