Community searches for answers
Girl showed no signs of being bullied
REGINA — Regina police are investigating all possible factors in a 13-year-old Regina girl’s suicide and suggestions of bullying have the city’s Catholic school board “looking for answers.”
Savhanah Turcotte committed suicide Tuesday night, according to the Regina Police Service.
Police say it’s not appropriate to speculate on possible causes for the tragedy while a coroner’s investigation is underway. A school board spokesperson said the school division had received no reports of bullying.
In a statement on the weekend, Kelly Turcotte said her daughter’s journal revealed she had been living two lives.
“Her external life showed a happy, kind, caring, generous and loving child who filled our lives with great joy. Just her presence made people happy. But inside she was crying out. She felt alone and scared; feeling she was not accepted and didn’t feel like she belonged,” said Kelly.
Savhanah was also visiting social media sites and “there were many hurtful and disturbing comments from individuals that must have continued to hurt her deeply,” Kelly added.
“At home we tell our kids to be themselves and when they go into the world they are judged and tormented. We tell them to turn the other cheek, but should we not be telling them to stand up for themselves and speak out? Bullying can sometimes happen even within a friendship group. Rumours are spread and hurtful words said. These words leave scars that are difficult to erase,” Kelly’s statement further reads.
But school officials received no reports that Savhanah, a Grade 8 student at Ecole St. Andrew, was bullied, according to Noah Wernikowski, communications officer with Regina Catholic Schools.
“Everyone is really reeling from this. And everyone is really upset and also everyone is looking for answers ... The suggestions of bullying are leading us all looking for answers because there just wasn’t any evidence,” he said.
On Friday, Elizabeth Popowich, spokeswoman for the RPS, said the investigation with the coroner’s office is ongoing. She added that “all possible factors” will be examined, and that it is too early and inappropriate to speculate on the circumstances of Savhanah’s death, including whether bullying was a factor.
Still coming to grips with Savhanah’s sudden death, Doug Cramer remembers the Regina teenager as outgoing with lots of friends.
She could also light up a room with her smile.
“That was her personality — just get out and meet everyone you can,” said Cramer, a longtime family friend who knew Savhanah, also known as Savy, and her mother when they lived in Grand Coulee years ago.
Despite her young age, Cramer said Savhanah was charitable and thoughtful of other people. He remembers how she would collect recyclables in his garage and give them to someone in the community less fortunate. She also loved sports, drama, and her dog Rider, said Cramer.
Savhanah’s death occurred about one month before antibullying week Nov. 17-22. That is when the Saskatchewan government plans to release its anti-bullying report.
“Government can never deal with all the stresses that a young person goes through. It’s part of growing up. But I think what we can do is educate parents and educate teachers to be more sensitized and more aware of a child that’s vulnerable or a child that’s going through a difficult time and reach out,” said Don Morgan, minister of education, speaking generally about the issue last week.
“There’s a lot of good supports that already exist. I think it’s a matter of identifying when there’s a problem and trying to anticipate it before it becomes a critical point and then also to say to the kids there are help, there are supports, there are things and then getting the information together. It’s a tough issue.”
Savhanah’s funeral is scheduled for today at 1 p.m. at Regina Apostolic Church.