Probably the top HS pitching prospect nationally in the class of 2012 who had already committed to Arizona died Thursday PM due to an apparent suicide. Bri was a soph at Mater Dei HS in Santa Ana, Cal. Due to my connections with Mater Dei (class of 1970, very active in the alumni association) I knew of her but had never met her. I spoke to her coach Friday AM and he indicated that she was probably the best high school pitching prospect to come out of California in the last 10 years.

I was at MD Friday 26th when her death was announced to the student body. The announcement cast a pall over the school the balance of the day.

Relevance to this board? Probably nothing I guess accept a kid takes her own life at age 15.

[This message has been edited by monarch (edited 3/1/2010 4:41p).]

LA Times postings


I don't keep up with softball much, but this is just sad.

Very, very sad news

this is the ESPN write-up: http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/news/story?id=4950399

After reading that article, I noticed that her death was ruled suicide by ligature hanging. I suppose more details will be revealed in the days ahead.

I also noticed that the NCAA had to get involved to give the UA coach the go ahead to comment on a recruit that had passed away. Whatever rule that is needs to be changed.

Tragic. At a loss for words.

Damn. Suicide is tough no matter what the age, but in kids I find it particularly tough to deal with.

A lot of you know I didn't graduate from A&M (I have a son on campus who is class of 2011), but I have been "attached" to Aggieland since maybe 1984/85. Aggies always take care of Aggies and likewise Mater Dei people take care of Mater Dei people, so when something happens to one, it happens to all. This was unbelievable. I was in the campus library when the announcement was made that Bri had passed away (the announcement did not say how obviously) and I walked outside right after the announcment was over; there had to have been 250-300 kids standing outside the chapel crying gushers. This was not a good scene. I have told my son that if there is any place like TAMU in the US, it is Mater Dei; granted, a university vs a high school, but both places define family.

Tough stuff.


[This message has been edited by monarch (edited 2/28/2010 11:02a).]

may god have mercy on her soul. RIP

My heart aches for the family she left behind. That is a tough age for all kids, and sometimes potential fame and popularity only adds to the confusion.

T&P up...

There was a similar incident in the town I live in recently. Maybe this is in poor taste, but if anyone has actual knowledge of the "WHY?", it might help someone recognize this sooner instead of only being able to say "I wish I had recognized (???) before....."

Approx six years ago, a very, very talented young boy who played ODP soccr here in the Klein area shot and killed himself. Mom came home one day and the kid was dead on the kitchen floor. My son and my stepson both played on the same team as the young man. I remember the pastor at the church that the family belonged to telling the kids in attendance, "NOTHING is that bad that you have to do this; you have friends here (in church); you have friends in school. DON'T DO THINGS LIKE THIS." I have never forgotten those words.

[This message has been edited by monarch (edited 3/1/2010 4:38p).]

Part of being an adolescent is being immature. Problems perceived by a young mind to be overwhelming and unsolvable can induce thinking that suicide is the only solution.

My specialty is not psychiatry, but I hear of these tragedies with an alarming frequency. When a star athlete is the victim, the story is big news. Unfortunately, most of the deceased are regular, troubled kids, and the news coverage is comparatively narrow and short-lived.

There must have been signs, however subtle. And, it's tougher growing up now than it ever has been. Any child's passing is a terrible loss of potential for a better world. May she rest in peace, and the good Lord comfort her family and friends.

That's really sad. Thoughts and prayers for her and her family.

Truly a sad story, but until the details are released, we won't know if it really was a suicide. Unfortunately, the details may never be released, because often the families are too embarassed.

Ligature hangings can occur because the child was trying to get "high," similar to highs caused by drugs or sexual activity. Sadly, some families think they are doing their child a service by allowing the stigma of suicide to be attached to their loss, because they are unwilling to cope with the other alternative.

Bizarre, I know - but I think they are more comfortable with the idea that their child was despondent rather than a "pervert."