A 15-year-old girl from California died earlier this month after struggling to cope with social isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.

KCRA3 reports Jo’Vianni Smith died by suicide at her home in Stockton, California, on April 2. Smith’s mother, Danielle Hunt believes her daughter struggled with being confined to her home due to social distancing guidelines.

“I want people to know: If it could happen to my kid, who is energetic, it could happen to anybody’s kid,” she said.

Hunt remembers her daughter as a bright girl with a passion for sports. The young athlete was a standout softball player at Bear Creek High School. She also excelled at basketball and track.

“She was smart, funny, was so talented with music, and she was athletic,” Hunt said.

Bill Fletcher, one of Smith’s former softball coaches, shared a Facebook post to help bring awareness to the GoFundMe campaign Smith's teammates set up in her honor. In the post, he mourned the teen’s untimely death and remembered her time in his life.

"I have a daughter that’s a senior in high school. She plays softball for her school team,” he said. “We have been at home since March 13th. It’s been extremely hard to relate to what these kids are going through. I have daily conversations with my 2 high schooler's and encourage them to reach out to their friends and teammates. I can’t imagine what Jo was going through to come to this conclusion.”

Fletcher said he received a text from Smith’s mom telling him how much the 15-year-old enjoyed playing with his team and being coached by him.

“I’ve coached for over 28 years and these young ladies are like daughters to me. My heart is broken and I can’t stop crying,” he said.

Hunt told FOX40 she decided to speak out and warn other parents because of the impact her daughter had on the lives of others.

“It’s like, how do you explain a girl like her?” Hunt said. “If you met her one time, like, she made an impact in your life.”

Alfonso Apu, Stockton Community Medical Center director of behavioral health, told KCRA3 that he recommends parents encourage open lines of communication and pay acute attention to the needs of children.

“The number one question is: How do you feel? Are you having thoughts of hurting yourself?” he said. “Some parents think this puts the thought [of suicide] into a child’s head. But it is reality and you have to be able to talk about it.”

Adolescents, who often identify more strongly with social groups, are particularly at risk for mental stress during the pandemic. There have been at least five suicides in the area around Smith’s home, per KCRA3.

A PBS report in October found that suicide is now the second leading cause of death among young Americans age 15 to 24.

If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Social-Isolation

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