Grief Counseling Offered Following Death Of BRHS Junior

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District is offering grief counseling to students following the death of junior Frances Wang this weekend.

Wang, 16, of the Martinsville section of Bridgewater was reported missing Saturday causing police, fire and volunteers to search the area around Vosseller Avenue for most of the day.

Police K-9 and New Jersey State Police helicopters also assisted. They last reported searching at Chimney Rock Park. (See Related: Missing Bridgewater Teen Found Dead)

Wang was later found dead around 10 p.m., Bridgewater Police reported.

"Our BRHS community has suffered the traumatic loss of one of our current students. This loss impacts our entire community and we understand that this event will affect people differently," the district posted on its website.

Schools are continuing to operate as previously scheduled to provide normalcy to students, the district stated. And services and resources are also being provided to students in need at each building throughout and beyond the school day. Guidance counselors and other trained professionals will also be available at schools across the district to provide support for both students and adults.

The district also warned of the "dangers of social media and how baseless 'information' can reach a wide audience in seconds."

"We must respect the privacy of the family during this difficult time. Both at school and at home, students need to be reminded of the dangers of hearsay and how they must be responsible when sharing information," the district stated.

"Students need to remember that when they hear something or read something, it is not automatically a fact. We need to teach that we all have a responsibility to effectively verify information before spreading it as fact," the district continued.

The district also provided a list of resources from the district and the larger Somerset County community:

BRHS

908-231-8660
School Counseling Office - Ext, 2211
Child Study Team Office - Ext. 2158
Dr. James Porter, Mental Health Counselor - Ext. 2241

For more information or support, please see:

• Addressing Grief
• After the Trauma - Helping a Child Cope
• Good Grief Resource Site
• How to Help a Grieving Teen
• Other Resources for Children Dealing with Loss or Trauma
• Somerset County Resource Guide.pdf

(Image via Bridgewater Police: Francis Wang, 16, of the Martinsville section of Bridgewater.)

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.