Parents of Charlotte speak out ahead of Sydney student’s funeral

The grieving stepfather of 12-year-old Charlotte has bravely spoken about the young girl who died by suicide after bullying.

A schoolgirl who died by suicide will be farewelled this week as her parents continue to speak out about how she was not protected from alleged bullying.

Matthew, the stepfather of 12-year-old Charlotte, on Monday remembered her as the “kindest, most caring little girl” whose death had followed “toxic” issues at school.

“To lose a little girl at the age of 12 is something we won’t recover from,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham said.

Charlotte attended Santa Sabina College in Sydney’s inner west, with the Catholic school having defended its handling of alleged bullying issues during the public fallout.

The family are preparing to farewell her at a funeral on Friday, and have asked those who wish to send flowers to instead make a donation to the Kids Helpline.

Charlotte, 12, took her own life after being bullied.

Her family say they want her to have a voice.

Matthew said he believed some of the responses from the school had been “unnecessary”, and claimed he had no direct communication from officials.

“I think outside of the response from the broader community of the school I have to say I’ve been disappointed to say the least, with the response that’s come from the school,” he said.

“Some of the responses that have gone into the media, I think the first response was around that there’s inconsistencies in their records and I thought that comment to go out at that time when we were grieving was unnecessary.

“And since then, comments like the school’s been overwhelmed with support from other parents coming forward and saying how well they deal with these types of issues. And I’m sure they’ve had some communication and some support, Ben.

“But those mothers that have given that school support, no doubt they will be planning on picking their daughter up from school today, and we are not.”

Speaking on 2GB, Matthew said Charlotte’s mother had repeatedly asked the school to break up a group of girls who had put the 12-year-old through a friendship “roller coaster”.

“I would not allow this behaviour to happen in my home,” he said.

“I am not after any retribution for these girls … but I’m looking for the schools to step in … to act when these things are raised for the first time, not the second or third time.”

Matthew said it was time school “friendship issues” were called out for what they really were: “It’s not called a friendship issue in the workplace.”

He went on to say the school’s response to the 12-year-old’s death was not acceptable.

“I think outside of the response from the broader community of the school I have to say I’ve been disappointed to say the least, with the response that’s come from the school,” he said.

Charlotte left a heartbreaking note for her family.

The Year 7 student left a note for her family when she took her own life on September 9 – it included names of those she wanted at her funeral and other who had made “life too hard”.

It also instructed her mother, Kelly, to “tell the school please”.

“Mama, please share my story to raise awareness,” the note read, according to The Daily Telegraph.

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Matthew told 2GB’s Ben Fordham his stepdaughter was “inseparable” from her baby brother Will, and would spend her own birthday money on gifts for the boy.

“She was just the most amazing 12-year-old you would ever meet,” he said.

“The kindest, most caring little girl who would put the needs of others above herself.”

Charlotte with her baby brother, Will.

The two were “inseparable”.

Charlotte wanted to go to Macquarie University and have a “big family” of seven kids herself, Matthew said.

“It’s so difficult for a family to go through this,” he said.

“We will never get to celebrate her 13th birthday. I will never get to teach her how to drive.

“I know these conversations are tough for us all, but we need to have these conversations today.”

Matthew remembered a time when the family was on holiday and Charlotte, then 10, asked if she could speak in private.

“She said, ‘I want to ask you a question I’ve been wanting to for a while, but can I call you dad?,” Matthew said.

“I said to her, ‘Sweetie that is the most beautiful question you’ve ever asked me, but I’ve been your dad since the first day I met you.’

“I was so grateful she built up the courage to ask me that and it will remain one of my favourite moments.”

Santa Sabina College in Strathfield.

Santa Sabina College principal Paulina Skerman has said the school took allegations of bullying seriously but that some claims being aired in public “are not consistent with our records”.

Ms Skerman said she had been “overwhelmed” by calls from parents “objecting to the portrayal of our College as failing to deal with matters that cause distress amongst our students”.

“Our students and our families are highly informed on the (anti-bullying) policy and the procedures for reporting and resolving matters of concern, and they utilise this as needed,” she said.

“Our focus as a College is the ongoing support and care for our students, their families and our staff, and to supporting Charlotte’s family through their unimaginable grief.”