The Tulsa County District Attorney Stephen Kunzweiler announced that no charges will be filed in the death of Nex Benedict, a non-binary 10th grader from Oklahoma who died by suicide last month following a fight at school. The district attorney's office reviewed reports from law enforcement regarding the February 7 altercation at Owasso High School and Nex's subsequent death on February 8.
In a statement, Kunzweiler referenced Nex's autopsy report, which indicated superficial injuries consistent with the fight but did not reveal any internal injuries that directly caused the death. The medical examiner ruled Nex's death a suicide in an autopsy summary, with the full report expected to be released on March 27.
Police discovered brief notes written by Nex that appeared to be related to suicide. The investigation also found that the altercation at school was deemed an instance of mutual combat, leading to the decision that juvenile charges were not warranted.
Nex, who identified as non-binary, garnered national attention following their death, with vigils held in their honor across the country. Advocates highlighted the hostile climate faced by the LGBTQ+ community as a contributing factor.
In body camera footage released by Owasso police, Nex described the events of the fight, detailing how a verbal exchange escalated into a physical altercation in the school bathroom. Despite attempts to defend themselves, Nex was overpowered by other students before the incident was broken up by peers and faculty.
The following day, emergency services responded to a call involving Nex, who was later pronounced dead at a pediatric emergency hospital. The decision not to press charges was based on the lack of evidence to sustain a prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt.
