ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A 15-year-old student from the School of the Arts (SOTA) has died after walking off the roof of the building Monday.

Rochester Police say they got a call about a suicidal female around 11:30 a.m. on Monday at the school on Prince Street and the school was put in a hold in place.

Police say the girl walked off the roof before first responders could make contact with her. An ambulance rushed her to Strong Hospital.

The Rochester City School District said Tuesday that the student had died Monday night due to her injuries.

The family was at the school within seconds, but many other parents caught wind of something was happening at the school and rushed there.

Parents gathered outside the police tape as many were concerned and even in tears as they didn’t really have information on what was going on and couldn’t reach their kids. They were there for at least an hour until the school started dismissing students to their parents.

Tamara Page, a parent of a SOTA student, had many questions as to how a student was able to reach the roof and where were any of the teachers.

“You can’t even ensure the safety of these kids, how do us as parents feel safe sending our children to school to get an education?” said Page. “It’s not fair.”

Some parents told me they found out about the whole thing through Facebook and social media and the school hadn’t even sent a robo-call home yet.

A robocall did go out, but it was well after the school had started to dismiss students. The school also released a statement around 1:30 p.m. Monday, but it did not address the concerns of parents.

Catherine Lauria, a mental health counselor, was outside the school with parents trying to calm them down and give them advice on how to best talk with kids about what happened.

“I also think that we can’t be silent anymore about this,” said Lauria. “It’s all hush hush all the time when there’s a mental health crisis or incident, and I think there needs to be conversations about it.”

Lauria also said this is something that may be traumatizing for other students, teachers, and even staff at the school and that it is okay for them to reach out for help if they need it.

A statement from Interim Superintendent Strickland of Rochester City School District said,

“Today was a difficult day for our school community. We recognize that events like this can have a lasting impact, and we want to ensure that our students and staff have the support they need. Counselors and the Trauma, Illness, and Grief team will be available for any student or staff member who would like to talk. Families are encouraged to reach out to the school if they have concerns about their child or other students at School of the Arts that may be in need of support.”

Earlier in the day, RCSD released the following statement:

“This afternoon, a student from School of the Arts experienced a crisis and emergency personnel responded to provide necessary support. The student’s parents were contacted, and an ambulance was called to the school to provide necessary support. The school is currently in a hold-in-place procedure.  Families who wish to pick up their children may do so in the side parking lot on University Avenue. The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority.” 

NYS Senator Jeremy Cooney, who is a SOTA graduate, also released a statement, saying he is “deeply concerned,” about the girl who was injured.

Here is Cooney’s full statement:

“As a graduate of School of the Arts, I am deeply concerned by the news of the student seriously injured today. I join students, faculty, parents, and alumni in praying for the recovery of the student. I will be closely monitoring the situation as more details emerge. If you or a loved one is in distress, please contact the suicide lifeline at 988.”

If you or a loved one is experiencing thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis, contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. To learn more about the resources available, click here.