Sarasota Booker High School student dies

The Sarasota Police Department has announced that the 17-year-old Booker High School female student who attempted suicide in a school bathroom has died.

Sarasota Police Captain Paul Sutton made the announcement in a news release sent at 1:40 p.m., explaining that she passed away this morning at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

At approximately 1 p.m. Nov. 1, Sarasota Police responded to Booker High School to investigate the incident, Sutton said.

“The student had been found in a restroom and had no pulse,” Sutton said in the release. “Emergency responders were able to restore a weak pulse and she was transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital. The injury appears to have been self-inflicted; it is being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Division of the Sarasota Police Department.”

Students found the girl, whose name has not been released, in the bathroom, where police say she tried to hang herself.

It’s unknown at this time whether the suicide attempt was prompted by a case of bullying.

School officials, social workers and representatives of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office plan to hold free workshops in the coming days to help students, parents and teachers cope with the tragedy. The workshops will also address depression and suicide.

The meetings will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7 in the auditorium of Sarasota High School, 1000 S. School Ave., Sarasota, and 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8 in the cafeteria of the Laurel Nokomis School, 1900 E. Laurel Road, Nokomis.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Rex Troche at 954-7070.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].