Deceased Spectra student was being bullied in school, says aunt

Shina was laid to rest on 22 October 2015.
Image credit The Straits Times; Yeo Kai Wen

On Tuesday 20 October, we were horrified to learn of the death of a secondary two Spectra Secondary School student — 14-year-old Shina Adriana Hendricks — after she reportedly fell while attempting to perform a parkour move.

Parkour is a sport that is done in an urban environment where running, jumping and climbing is involved and done rapidly.

On Tuesday morning, Shina reportedly jumped from the corridor on the fourth floor of the school building to the third floor, losing her balance in the process and falling to the ground floor. She later died of her injuries.

However, according to a recent The Straits Times report, the girl’s family has revealed that she was not into any extreme sports such as parkour before her death.

The report quotes Ms Sandra Ross, Shina’s aunt, as saying, “She was not into parkour. We didn’t see her doing any of these stunts when she was around us. She was not a physical person. She didn’t even rollerblade.”

Was bullying the real cause of Shina’s tragic death?

Was Shina pushed over the edge by bullying?

Ms Ross has revealed to the press that her niece was the victim of a male bully in school. For over a year, this bully had reportedly been picking on Shina, “calling her names and showering her with vulgarities.”

The Straits Times reports that Shina’s family “came to know that the boy had issued a ‘dare’ to Shina before she attempted her fatal stunt.” However, they were not sure if the stunt in question was the boy daring her to attempt the jump.

On Thursday 22 October, the teenager was laid to rest at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery. Her funeral was attended by more that 80 mourners.

Read more at The Straits Times.

Mums and dads, this theAsianparent article gives you some great tips on how to “bully-proof” your child. We’d also love to hear your thoughts on how bullying can be stopped once and for all at schools. Do leave a comment below.