11-year-old New Jersey girl commits suicide in school bathroom after reports of extreme bullying—mom suspects foul play

Police have ruled an 11-year-old New Jersey girl’s death in February a suicide, while her grieving mother, who says the school has refused to show her the security footage from the day, suspects that someone else may have been involved in her daughter’s death.

A Holbein School student, later identified through online tributes and an obituary as Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez, was discovered on February 6 at around 1 pm passed out in a bathroom stall of the school after she reportedly attempted to take her own life, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to New Jersey 101.5.

"Help was immediately sought from staff members, and lifesaving measures were taken by school officials, police and emergency medical technicians," the office said. "The student was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and then transferred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was pronounced dead on Feb. 8." 

An autopsy performed by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office on the girl’s body determined that she died from complications from a suicide attempt.

An investigation by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office included a review of surveillance cameras in the school and "determined that she was alone in the restroom when this tragic action happened."

"The investigation further determined that no foul play was involved," prosecutors said, who shared the results of its investigation with the student’s mother in the last week of March.

A Feburary 8 letter from schools Superintendent Robert Mungo confirmed that a student had died, but did not list the student by name.

“Dear Mount Holly School Community: Today, we learned of the passing of one of our students. This tragic news impacts the entire school community," the letter says.

"Our priority is to provide support and direction during this extremely difficult time. We will continue to work as an administrative team alongside our Board and staff to respond to our school community’s needs."

A week before her death, the student’s mother, Elania LoAlbo, said her daughter emailed the school’s administration telling them that she and her friends were being bullied, and that the school was "breaking the laws" by not taking action, according to NJ.com.

"She herself had written numerous emails to the administration detailing the events, yet no one was ever questioned," LoAlbo, who expressed concerns about the prosecutor’s office not investigating further into the bullying Felicia was experiencing, said.

"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," LoAlbo said.

LoAlbo said that a month before her death, her daughter had sent an email to the school proposing a "trauma club" where students could "go and let out all their feelings and emotions."

Felicia’s death came less than two weeks after her father, NJ Transit Detective Alexis Melendez, died from Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

According to LoAlbo, the email proposing the club read, "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. 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."

According to the New York Post, LoAlbo said that she is still waiting to see critical evidence related to the death of her daughter.

"Over the last eight weeks they have refused to show me any video tape footage, and several emails in reference to the school about the bullying," LoAlbo said. 

"I have asked to see the scarf [found in the bathroom], the security tapes and I’ve been locked out of her school [online] account since before she had even passed," she added, saying that she fears someone else could have been involved in some capacity in her daughter’s death.

"And until I see footage proving otherwise, that will remain in the forefront of my mind,” she added. "Show me the tapes and prove it to me … If I saw the tapes, 100% it would help me get some kind of closure."

In a 2021 voice note, Felicia was heard saying, "Unless you're me, well you're listening to this from the future. 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," according to the Daily Voice.

LoAlbo revealed to The Post that her daughter, who had turned 11 in December, has been bullied for "many years," and that the mother had to personally call the parents of these bullies to ask them to stop.

"They were telling her to ‘unalive’ herself, they called her all kinds of derogatory names, put gum in her hair, stole from her," she recalled, adding that Felicia had punched one student who told her to "unalive" herself.

"But even then, there was never any repercussion from the school, no follow up. Nobody called me, nobody talked to me about that incident," she went on. 

LoAlbo said the school had "tried to cover up" her daughter’s bullying in the past, and then tried "to cover everything else up when it comes to the details of her passing," noting that Felicia had been set up to switch classes after winter recess to escape the bullies, but that never came to fruition.

LoAlbo said that her daughter had been undergoing therapy before and after her father’s death, and that there had been "no signs" that Felicia was experiencing suicidal thoughts.

"There was no Google searches or anything referencing self-harm," she said. "You’re not going to learn to tie a noose without some kind of Google search."

"A kid doesn’t just doesn’t hang themselves in the bathroom without ever contemplating suicide. That’s just not how these things happen," she told The Post. 

A petition has been started for LoAlbo to get a private viewing of the security footage, which has received 5,876 signatures at the time of publishing.

Felicia's death in Burlington County came just two days after days after 14-year-old Adriana Olivia Kuch of neighboring Ocean County took her life. The suicide came after video was taken of a brutal attack on the student, who was antagonized online as well.