Last week, an 8-year-old New Jersey girl committed suicide after being put in time out moments prior. According to reports, family members of the young victim attempted to revive her but she was pronounced dead after being transported to the University Hospital in Newark.
Days after the young girl’s suicide, sources close to the investigation said they believe that the little girl, who has been identified as Imani McCray, saw the story about 10-year-old Ashawnty Davis killing herself in the same way and attempted to copy.
McCray’s tragic incident occurred just days after Davis killed herself because of bullies. However, officials have not linked McCray’s incident to bullying.
“It’s tragic … it’s just a horrible, horrible thing, no matter what the circumstances were around it, anytime an 8-year-old child is dead is just horrible,” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said of the incident. “My heart goes out to them. I hope it’s not bullying, I hope it isn’t a copy cat, I hope it’s not none of those things. … We just have to do better, you know all of us, as a community, as a society, we just have to do better.”
McCray would have turned 9-years-old this week.
