The death of the 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict was not a result of injuries sustained in a fight in a school bathroom the day before, authorities said on Wednesday. The preliminary autopsy report from the medical examiner's office indicated that the Oklahoma teen did not succumb to injuries or trauma, according to the Owasso police.
Benedict, whose family said identified as a nonbinary, died on February 8, a day after she got involved in a fight, potentially triggered by bullying related to their gender identity. However, the preliminary autopsy result suggests that the family's version may not be completely correct and Benedict may have died of other unknown complications.
Autopsy Shows Different Reason
"At this time, any further comments on the cause of death are currently pending until toxicology results and other ancillary testing results are received," police said. "The official autopsy report will be available at a later date."
While police and the school in the Tulsa area have not revealed the specific cause of the fight, the family of the teen asserted that harassment linked to their nonbinary identity played a role in the incident.
"While at Owasso High School, Nex was attacked and assaulted in a bathroom by a group of other students," the family said Wednesday through their legal team.
"A day later, the Benedicts' beautiful child lost their life."
The investigation into the altercation is currently underway, and authorities have mentioned that they will provide their findings to the district attorney's office for assessment, to determine if charges are justified.
Benedict, who preferred they/them pronouns, initially was able to walk away from the bathroom altercation on February 7. However, the teen was later taken to the hospital by their family and later discharged to go home on the same night.
The next day, the 16-year-old suffered a "medical emergency" and, despite being taken to the hospital again, died, police said.
Family Cries Foul Play
Benedict's mother said that Benedict had frequently been bullied at school and, during the bathroom altercation, had fallen and hit her head. As a result of the attack, Benedict sustained bruising and cuts across her face.
"I didn't know how bad it had gotten," her mom told The Independent.
The grieving mother told the outlet that that her child had visible bruises all over their face after the sophomore student engaged in a physical altercation with three older girls at Owasso High School.
Authorities said that the fight was broken up by two other students and a nearby staff member.
Benedict was advised to go to the hospital where they were interviewed by the police.
According to a Fox 23 report, Benedict messaged a family member about the fight. When questioned about the cause of the altercation, the teen said they were harassed at school.
"They had been bullying me and my friends and I got tired of it so I poured some water on them and all 3 came after me. School did not report it and is probably going to getting sued," one of the texts said.
