Park Side grieves death of 4th grade student

School community grapples with terrible tragedy

This story was updated on 2/21/25 at 12 pm.

A fourth-grade student who attended Park Side Elementary in Sebastopol died earlier this week. The death is being investigated as a possible suicide.

On Monday, the school administration first notified parents. “It is with deep regret that we inform you about a recent loss to our school community. Today, one of our Park Side fourth graders was taken off life support after an incident over the weekend.”

Sebastopol Times contacted Sebastopol Union School District Superintendent Sara Gramm by email and she replied:

We are working fast and furiously to support our students with the
possibility that the death was a suicide and how to process that
information. This is horrifically unchartered territory, even for the experts.

She said that they were working on “a community statement,” but their priority has been working with students and staff.

Because the student died at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, the Alameda County Coroner’s Office will be the agency in charge of releasing the official cause of death. An official cause of death has not been released by that office.

Various people on social media have provided the only information available on the student’s identity, which we are not disclosing. Some family members on social media said the ten-year-old was being bullied, but we were unable to confirm this—in part because we are being cautious about reaching out to family members at this terrible time.

According to Sebastopol Police Chief Ron Nelson, the Sebastopol Police are not involved in the investigation. He said the Santa Rosa Police Department was investigating a “possible juvenile suicide.” Nelson said the Sebastopol Police Department has reached out to Park Side School to offer support.

In addition, he said, “We just offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family, community members and, of course, the peers and friends of this person. This is just a horrible tragedy.”

On Wednesday night, the school administration sent out a note to parents expressing “our grief and sorrow.” They wrote: “There are many questions and concerns in our community regarding this tragedy. While we do not have additional official details to share at this time, we know there are many rumors and unconfirmed information circulating.”

Two different GoFundMe campaigns were launched to support the family. If we get permission from family members, we will post a link.

The school administrators added in their note to parents: “We are deeply committed to continue doing everything in our power to ensure the support and care of all of our students. We know that there are no words that will help to heal the pain of this tragic loss, but we are strident in our commitment to take action to help us heal and strengthen our community.”

Administrators said that the school will provide additional support on campus to help students and staff “process this loss.” Today, students in the 3rd and 4th grade classrooms will “have a supported conversation with mental health professionals to address the rumor of suicide.”

While the details of the student’s death still aren’t clear, the shocking loss of a child is very real and yet so difficult to comprehend.

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Sebastopol Times will update this story as new information becomes available.

If you have information regarding this story, such as confirmation of the GoFundMe or anything else, reach out to us at sebastopoltimes@gmail.com.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, confidential assistance is available through the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.