The headteacher of a school where a 14-year-old former pupil tragically committed suicide has admitted she was ‘undoubtedly’ bullied as he called for more support for children with mental health problems.
Isla Marschke’s body was discovered by her mother Christie Jacobson in the backyard of their Bundaberg South home in Queensland on Tuesday evening.
Mrs Jacobson desperately performed CPR but it was too late to save Isla, who had left a short note in her room alongside her phone password.
“I’m sorry, I love you mom,” it read.
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed how Isla’s mother had faced an uphill battle to get help for her daughter, who had struggled with mental health issues for years.
“I live in a regional town and have been desperately looking for a child psychologist who could help my daughter for months,” Ms Jacobsen told this publication on Wednesday.
“But I was constantly rejected because she was too young or their books were full. Aftercare was virtually impossible. I can’t tell you how many times I would ask for help and be told “no, no, no.”
“While this was happening, she was also being bullied and experiencing issues with family dynamics.”
Isla Marschke (pictured) was discovered by her mother, Christie Jacobson, in the backyard of their Bundaberg South home in Queensland on Tuesday evening
On Thursday, Shalom College principal Daniel McMahon said Isla had “undoubtedly” experienced bullying at school
Ms Jacobsen, a piano teacher and performing artist, called for more funding for mental health services in regional areas.
Isla had recently left traditional education at Shalom College, a Catholic school in Bundaberg, to pursue distance learning, partly due to bullying and the fact that she found it difficult to fit in.
On Thursday, Shalom College principal Daniel McMahon told another publication that Isla “without a doubt” suffered from bullying at school.
“A few people I know don’t attend this school.”
This echoes comments from Isla’s sister, Ava, who told this publication that she had been a victim of bullying and had left traditional school for distance learning in July as she struggled to fit in.
“She had been going through a hard time for a while,” Ava added.
“I’ve had to message them before to leave Isla alone and I’ve had to speak to them at school before to leave Isla alone because it’s getting so out of hand.”
“They were just horrible to her.”
Mr McMahon said that ‘children unfortunately have to deal with bullying’ and that teachers at Shalom College worked hard to deal with it when it occurred, but some happened ‘in secret’.
“Isla’s story is tragic, but it’s not just about bullying,” Mr McMahon added.
‘As her mother Christie noted in the media today, mental illness is a very real problem and the lack of adequate support services for individuals and families is a real problem.
‘She was in pain from multiple and complex problems, as is the case with many people.
“Trying to pin the blame on an individual or individuals may give some a sense of satisfaction, but it is neither helpful nor accurate.
‘I prefer to put energy into helping young people have the courage to seek help when they need it, and to have that help immediately available.’
Mr McMahon said that ‘children unfortunately have to deal with bullying’ and that teachers at Shalom College worked hard to deal with it when it occurred, but some happened ‘in secret’
Mrs Jacobson desperately performed CPR but it was too late to save Isla, who had left a short note in her room alongside her phone password (Picture: Isla and her mother, Christie)
It comes as two of the dance academies Isla attended paid tribute to her memory.
“Isla joined TNT in January 2024, participated in her first Hip Hop Solo at a dance competition, performed in numerous routines at our concert last month and brought a smile and a cheerful attitude to class,” wrote TNT Dance Academy on Social media.
LA Dance Academy said: ‘Today the world feels a little dimmer without your light.’
Just two hours before Isla was found, she had been sitting at home with her older sister Ava, 16, talking about their upcoming birthdays and the presents they both wanted.
Ava, who was the last person to speak to Isla, then left for her job as a pharmacy assistant at Chemist Warehouse.
Her stepfather came to tell her the terrible news shortly before 6 p.m.
“Isla and I had just been talking about normal things,” Ava told this publication.
“My birthday is next Friday and hers is on the 24th, so she was just talking about how she got me a gift. She seemed really good.”
Isla, who worked in a local fish and chip shop, had been a victim of bullying and had left traditional school in July to do distance learning as she struggled to fit in
Just two hours before Isla was found, she had been happily chatting at home with her older sister Ava, 16, about their upcoming birthdays and the presents they both wanted.
Isla, who had suffered from anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism for years before the bullying started, but her mental state seemed to have improved dramatically after the switch to homeschooling.
“She was thriving, she wanted to be a leader and her schoolwork was getting better, out of sight,” said Andy McLucas, Isla’s stepfather.
‘She absolutely loved it. She had found her place, so it was such a shock.”
Mr McLucas, who is divorced from Isla’s mother, said she had gone through ‘several periods of counseling and conversations with therapists’.
“Once we removed the school element, she did really well,” Mr. McLucas said.
‘WWhen she got down it was very noticeable. But This wasn’t one of those times, she just seemed a little flat.”
Mr McLucas, who said Isla was a talented musician and singer, paid tribute to her ‘quirky’ personality.
Isla was remembered for her ‘quirky’ personality and was described as a ‘ball of awesomeness’
A GoFundMe page set up by Ava to help cover the costs of her funeral has raised more than $20,000 so far
“She just had such a really great sense of humor that not many people understood because she was just so funny and so different,” Mr. McLucas said.
“She was so talented. She had a beautiful voice, loved to sing and could play any instrument. She was just a ball of awesomeness.”
Her voice was so good that her new school recently asked her to record the national anthem to be played at conventions.
“She was so empathetic to those she loved,” Mr McLucas added.
“And when she liked you, she really liked you. She was very picky and didn’t get along with everyone, but when she did, she just loved deeply, and read you.
“She just didn’t know how loved she was.”
A GoFundMe pagewhich was set up by Ava to cover the costs of her funeral, has raised almost $55,000 to date.
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