Community honors 10-year-old Utah girl who died by suicide on third anniversary of death

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 988. National Alliance on Mental Illness Utah: namiut.org

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — On Nov. 6, 2021, Isabella "Izzy" Tichenor took her own life at the age of 10, after her mother said she was bullied for her skin color and having autism. On Nov. 6, 2024, friends, family, and community members gathered to honor her memory.

The memorial on Wednesday was held at Izzy's grave in Sandy, Utah. Her mother, Brittany Tichenor, told ABC4.com that having support from the community is a blessing.

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"I think about her all the time, and ... a lot of people don't understand unless they've gone through it," Brittany said. "For people who haven't gone through it and still support means a lot."

In 2022, Izzy's family filed a claim against the Davis School District and Foxboro Elementary School. That claim included a timeline of Izzy's parents reaching out to the school about the bullying in the months leading up to her death, according to the Associated Press.

In 2023 — nearly two years after the death of Izzy — the Davis School District settled with the Tichenor family for $2 million .

At the memorial on Wednesday, Brittany gave advice to parents who may be going through something similar: "Focus on their legacy, don't focus on the past," she said. "Focus on how to make it better for them."

Brittany said Izzy would wake up happy every morning, and said her presence helped Brittany get through the day. Brittany encouraged people to reach out for help if they are struggling.

"Everybody needs support — especially after losing someone," Brittany said.

The Utah chapter of Black Lives Matter helped spread awareness about Wednesday's memorial. Rae Duckworth, the operating chairperson for the Utah chapter, said it's important for people to show up for those who are affected by racism.

"We watched a grieving mom today, and I think that it's just important to build community and support one another and treat each other with love all the time," Duckworth said.

Duckworth said it was brave of Brittany to be at the memorial and be vulnerable with the community, and stressed the importance of speaking up about bullying.

"We don't want to lose any more children," Duckworth said. "If you see something, say something — speak up ... let's correct the situation so we don't have to keep holding vigils for children," Duckworth said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.