A Los Angeles father has condemned what he believes was the failure to protect his 17-year-old son, who died after falling from the fourth floor of his high school following an alleged bullying incident.
William Amaya, 40, said he was devastated after his son, Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, died shortly after allegedly being attacked by another student.
Despite video appearing to show the assault in the moments before Xavier’s death, no charges have been filed against the student accused of bullying him.
“He should be held accountable for what he did,” Amaya told the California Post.
The grieving father protested outside Benjamin Franklin High School on Tuesday, calling for stronger security and a greater law enforcement presence on campus.
“Bullying was a factor. I don’t think no one in their right mind would jump off the fourth floor,” Amaya told the outlet. “This would have been prevented if enforcement was on campus.”
Amaya told the Post that neither the school nor the Los Angeles Police Department contacted him or his family.
Video reportedly shows Xavier being punched repeatedly and taunted inside a classroom as a teacher tried to separate the students. Xavier then ran from the room.
William Amaya, 40, was devastated after his son, Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, pictured, died following an alleged attack by another student
Video reportedly shows Xavier being punched repeatedly as a teacher tried to intervene. Moments later, on September 30, he went over the fourth-floor railing
No charges have been filed against the student accused of bullying Xavier, despite video showing the events before his death. His father protested outside Benjamin Franklin High School on Tuesday, seeking increased law enforcement and security
Moments later, on September 30, Xavier went over the railing from the school’s fourth floor.
“Xavier was brutally assaulted during class time by another student, and was denied the timely support of security intervention,” a petition seeking stronger school security said.
“What’s even more heart-wrenching is that instead of receiving help, the assault was recorded by students present at the location. This tragic sequence of events further spiraled as he fell from the fourth floor of his high school, and yet again, instead of aid, there was documentation of his fall.
“This speaks volumes about the lack of security, supervision, and immediate response strategies in our schools – gaps that must be addressed to prevent further tragedies.”
Xavier suffered multiple fatal blunt traumatic injuries to his head and torso, the Post reported.
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A Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson told the outlet: “Our hearts are with family, friends, and the Franklin High School community as they grieve this loss.”
“However, we are unable to comment about individual circumstances due to confidentiality and privacy laws.”
The LAPD said that, during its investigation, detectives believed bullying may not have been a factor in the teenager’s death.
Xavier’s mother, Lilia Nungaray, said her son “was a beautiful, caring, and loving boy who meant so much to the people around him”
‘At this preliminary stage of the investigation, detectives have not identified evidence establishing a connection between allegations of bullying and the student’s death,’ the department said.
But Amaya was certain that his son was ‘not suicidal’ and was excited for his future.
‘He was looking forward to start working, he had plans,’ the grieving father told the outlet.
The petition further accused the schools, ‘where students like Xavier go for safety, education, and growth,’ have transformed into places of suffering, ‘both physically and emotionally.’
‘It is evident that schools in LAUSD are not equipped with the necessary resources and systems to ensure the safety of all students under their care,’ the petition, which has garnered over 740 signatures as of Wednesday evening, continued.
The call for increased security and law enforcement presence comes after the LAUSD school board voted to remove police officers from school campuses, instead hiring ‘school climate coaches,’ in February 2021.
‘Right now it’s not just bring back the police, it’s bring back the police and have them be on campus every time our kids are on campus right now,’ Stephanie Amaya, 37, Xavier’s aunt, told The Post.
‘We need every single school and every single kid to have a chance and feel protected. We need accountability, we need extra police, we need protection for our kids in school.’
The call for increased security and law enforcement presence comes after the LAUSD school board voted to remove police officers from school campuses, instead hiring ‘school climate coaches,’ in February 2021
Xavier’s mother, Lilia Nungaray, said her son ‘was a beautiful, caring, and loving boy who meant so much to the people around him.’
‘His passing has left a deep void in the hearts of those who knew and loved him,’ she said on a GoFundMe to help lay her son to rest.
The Daily Mail reached out to LAUSD and the LAPD for comment.