'Devastating Loss': Peabody Mayor Plans Community Response After Student's Death

PEABODY, MA — Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt said on Monday that plans are underway for a community-wide discussion designed to instill "a renewed sense of hope for our youth" following the death of an eighth-grade Higgins Middle School student this weekend.

Bettencourt offered the family of the student his "profound sympathies" and said there will be a renewed effort to "reinforce a nurturing environment, focused on safety, understanding and a renewed sense of hope for our youth."

• Peabody School Community Mourns 8th-Grader's Death

He said in the short term, the city is looking to respect the family's privacy during "this period of unimaginable pain."

Grief counselors were at all of Peabody Public Schools on Monday in the wake of the student's death.

Superintendent Josh Vadala said in a letter to the school community on Sunday that the schools were heartbroken to hear the news of the student's death and that "our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the student's family, friends and the entire community."

He said that additional information about the death was not being shared out of respect for the family's privacy, but shared the "988" Suicide Prevention Hotline, as well as the 1-800-273-TALK Suicide Prevention Crisis Line and the 1-800-988-1111 24-hour Mobile Crisis Intervention Hotline.

"This loss may raise many emotions, concerns and questions for the entire school community, especially our students," Vadala said. "It is very difficult for all of us to face the death of a young person.

"If you believe you or your student is having a difficult time with this sudden loss or anything else, please contact your school principal, a trusted adult or my office at 978-536-6500."

A GoFundMe page to support the family in the wake of the student's death raised $26,000 in donations as of Monday afternoon.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)