Two Fordham Prep Deaths Stun School Community

There is speculation in the media that the recent death of a Fordham Preparatory School student may have been a copycat suicide.

NBCNewYork.com said a child psychiatrist called it a case of “suicide contagion.”

Dr. Moira Rynn, head of Child Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, said the recent death may have been spurred by Owen Kelly.

Kelly, 16, walked in front of a train at the Philipse Manor Metro-North station a little more than two weeks ago.

The recent death at the Botanical Garden Metro-North station Monday initially shut down all four tracks, causing massive delays on the Harlem and New Haven lines. Commuters using the Hudson line were delayed as well because of the backup getting into and out of Grand Central Terminal once one track in each direction was reopened.

The New York Times reported that the all-boys Jesuit high school in the Bronx was “stunned and shaken” by the two deaths.

The Times quoted one junior student—Michael Parks, 16—who said his religion teacher spoke in class about a suicide inspiring others who may be depressed to consider killing themselves.

Fordham’s president, the Rev. Christopher J. Devron, issued a statement Tuesday that said the school was bringing in experts and grief counselors for the students, faculty and staff.

For the complete NBCNewYork.com article, go here.

To see the full New York Times article, click here.

Photo credit: Fordham Preparatory School website.