“Gabby’s Legacy”: Durham Community Mourns Death of Latina Eighth Grader

This story originally published online in Spanish at Enlace Latino NC.

Nearly 70 people walked Sunday from Duke University toward a memorial for Gabriela “Gabby” Aparicio Ortega, an eighth-grader at Durham School for the Arts (DSA), who took her own life in late February after her family says she was bullied.

The walk ended in front of a tree outside the school, decorated with flowers and pink ribbons, along with photos of the 13-year-old Latina girl. 

“Thank you for supporting us and honoring my daughter’s life. May she always be in your hearts,” said Mario Aparicio, Gabriela’s father, to those in attendance. 

Gabriela had three siblings: Jason, Annette Michele, and Jessica, according to her parents, Mario and her mother, Claudia Ortega. Her family remembers her as a child who brought peace and serenity,  according to the fundraising page created to cover the unexpected expenses. 

Alexandra Valladares, a spokesperson for the family, emphasized that Gabby’s legacy should be a catalyst for improving the handling of bullying in Durham Public Schools (DPS).

“Gabby’s legacy is a legacy of love and of stopping bullying and of honoring the dignity of every person,” Valladares told Enlace Latino NC. She also stressed the need for the school district to ensure support for Latino families amid the current immigration climate.

During the ceremony, Cristina España read a letter on behalf of Governor Josh Stein, offering condolences to Gabriela’s family.

In a letter Gabby left to her parents, she named the students who bullied her at the Durham School of the Arts. She also described the comments that reinforced her feelings of exclusion.

A DPS spokesperson stated that, although they cannot share details about individual cases, “administration, teachers and staff are obligated to address any concerns regarding bullying to prevent or stop the misbehavior. DPS has well-established investigative protocols to address reports of bullying.”

“The school administrators investigate any reports of bullying and communicate outcomes of the investigation to the reporting student’s family,” the spokesperson said to Enlace Latino NC. Additionally, she explained that the consequences for substantiated bullying incidents are recorded in the Educator’s Handbook for proper follow-up when addressing all discipline data. 

There are no specific statistics on bullying at DSA. However, a survey of middle school students in Durham Public Schools revealed that nearly 40 percent have been victims of bullying, and 24 percent of those surveyed had considered suicide.

“I am here for her, for my children, for our children, because bullying exists. Bullying hurts. Loneliness, depression, mental health issues… we must keep fighting this,” said Paola Kipp, mother of a DPS student.

Kipp recalled that one of her children also suffered bullying at DSA more than 10 years ago.

“I had to take him out of this school and send him to another, but the school didn’t support me,” Kipp said, lamenting that, despite the time that has passed, tragedies like Gabby’s continue to happen.

Approximately 35 percent of DPS students are Latino. Latino students are the second most bullied group, behind Black students, compared to their white peers in middle school, according to a survey from the Durham Public Schools.

In light of this reality, Valladares emphasized the urgent need for the district to promote diversity. She also highlighted the need to provide adequate interpretation services, especially amid the current political context regarding immigration.

Parents in the Latino community at DPS created a document expressing their concerns about discrimination against Latino students, the lack of emotional support, and the lack of resources in schools to address these issues.

In response to these concerns, a spokesperson for Durham Public Schools stated that DSA has an assigned interpreter, as well as a bilingual administrator and counselor on staff. The divisions of the Multilingual Resource Center (MRC) and English Learning (EL) Services of the district collaborate to provide these services, the spokesperson said.

However, Valladares noted that, although the MRC provides interpretation services at various schools, DSA has not included this resource on its “resource page” nor ensured the consistent assignment of interpreters.

“The entire district needs more interpreters. I respect the work of interpreters, but they need to be paid more. These funds are not covered by the state; they are paid with local funds, and this is where it is important for us to advocate in Durham County for more interpreters and ensure that their positions are supported in this community,’ said Valladares, who previously served on the DPS Board of Education.

Before her death, Gabriela closely followed immigration news about President Donald Trump and his impact on families. According to her family, her last phone search before she passed was related to Trump.

Joshua, a friend of Gabriela and a DSA student, whose last name is being withheld to protect his identity, told Enlace Latino NC that the immigration situation was “definitely a stressor for Gabby.”

Although kids who are bullied are at risk of suicide, bullying alone is not the cause, according to StopBullying.gov. The anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies contribute to the increase of anxiety and depression in Latino communities, according to research.

During Thursday’s school board meeting, Melina García, mother of a Latina student at DSA, expressed her concern about the context surrounding Gabriela’s suicide and that of a Texas student in the same month.

“As a mother, I’m concerned, and as an immigrant, I’m concerned,” García told Enlace Latino NC. She added that the political climate has led some to feel entitled to “belittle and mistreat immigrants.”

In response, a spokesperson for the Durham School District told Enlace Latino NC that they “understand that recent changes in federal immigration enforcement may create uncertainty and fear for DPS families, staff, and neighbors across our community.”

DPS said that as they work hard to learn more, they will continue to provide every student, regardless of background, with quality education in an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment.

“This is the right of each and every DPS scholar in our schools. We will also maintain and follow school safety protocols, district policies, as well as state and federal laws that protect the rights, safety, and dignity of each scholar,” she added. 

Four DSA teachers joined the ceremony on Sunday, but the school administrators were absent.

Valladares, the family spokesperson, expressed her outrage at the lack of empathy from the school administrators. The family stated that the day after the tragedy, they were asked to return the Chromebook without any emotional support being offered or mentions of an investigation into the bullying.

“That’s the most painful part of what this family is going through: that when this tragedy occurred, they felt there was no understanding or compassion from the school where their daughter was,” said Valladares. “And the question is: if they treated the adults, the parents, this way, how did the girl feel? How did she feel in those classrooms, in that building, interacting with the teachers?”

Enlace Latino NC reached out to DSA principal, Jackie Tobias, for comments on the school’s response to Gabriela’s family. At the time of publication, no response was received. 

Durham Public Schools sent a message to DSA parents, stating that, out of respect for Gabriela’s family, they would not disclose details about her passing. They assured that counselors would be available to support students.

For his part, Durham Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Lewis expressed his condolences last week during the school board’s work session.

The community is demanding not only preventive measures but also a thorough review of the events that led to this point.

“This cannot happen, it should not have happened. We know there will be prevention, but we also want justice,” said García, mother of a student at DSA.

García emphasized the importance of the school conducting a thorough investigation into the bullying Gabby endured and holding those responsible accountable.

Joshua, a friend of the young girl, also expressed his hope that “justice will be served for Gabby.”

“Teachers should be more aware of what students say or do because they know who did this to Gabby,” Joshua said. “They probably think it was a joke or that they were just playing with her, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t a joke. It cost someone’s life.”

Enlace Latino NC reached out to DSA principal, Jackie Tobias, to ask if there is an ongoing investigation. At the time of publication, no response was received. 

Over the years, DPS has tried to address students’ emotional well-being with a focus on social-emotional skills, said a district spokesperson.

In 2024, 88.8 percent of Durham Public Schools implemented a research-based cultural framework and a curriculum focused on emotional well-being as part of the Board of Education’s strategic plan.

“Students are consistently encouraged to seek support from a safe adult if they are either being bullied, observe anyone being bullied, are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or know of another student who may be”, said the DPS spokesperson in an email to Enlace Latino NC. 

In addition, programs like Teen & Youth Mental Health aim to increase students’ awareness of how to be an ally and also an advocate for peers who are experiencing social, emotional, or mental health challenges.

“Although signs of issues are not always observable, Student Support Services professionals can provide intervention and assistance with a listening and caring ear”, DPS added. 

Despite these efforts, only 54 percent of DPS students reported “feeling that they belong,” in a survey for the 2023-2024 school year, according to the Board of Education’s strategic plan.

Valladares highlighted that sometimes children are expected to advocate for themselves in bullying situations.

“Many times, they need a community to stand up for them, but more than that, they need a welcoming environment,” she added.

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