Hanford High Student Dies From Suicide, 2nd in 2021
Monday, the following letter was emailed out to students, parents and staff of Hanford High school, concerning the apparent death by suicide of an 11th grader.
School officials did not say where it occurred, but the email went out Monday. Out of respect for the student at this time, their name is being omitted till further developments. The letter read in part, from the District. The student apparently died Sunday:
"We are saddened to inform you of the recent loss of (a) Hanford High School 11th grader (who) passed away yesterday. We extend our sympathy and support to the (name omitted) family and friends. Counselors will be available to work with students to assist in the grieving process. Hanford High School will have counselors on site in the library to assist grieving students. Counselors will be available beginning at 9:00am and again tomorrow starting at 8:00am. Other options for grieving students are logging into a zoom meeting with one of our district counselors in a breakout room."
The letter also listed numerous resources for students in and outside of the school, and went on to read:
"Our thoughts are with each of you during this difficult time. Students who may not have known Caelan may be experiencing grief as well due to their own personal experiences and feelings. Please remember people grieve in different ways and in stages. Many are helped in expressing their thoughts and feelings by sympathetic discussion with a trusted adult; some may choose not to talk about it at all. "
This is the second Hanford student to die since January 4th, a Richland High freshman passed from suicide in mid-December, and last April Richland High student Christian Robbins also died from suicide.
This is the 5th student to die related to suicide in our area since the COVID pandemic began last spring.