Vermont girl, 14, driven to suicide after vile taunts about mother's appearance from school bullies

A Vermont teen tragically took her own life after enduring relentless bullying over her mother's visible health issues.

Fourteen-year-old Isabelle Vezina-Dykema from Winooski, near Burlington, faced constant harassment at Mill School, where she enrolled for her first high school year. The bullies targeted Isabelle with vicious taunts about her and her mother .

Isabelle's mother, Heather Miller, has been recovering from complex brain surgery, which left a visible mark on her appearance.

On the day of the tragedy, Isabelle returned home 'visibly shaken.' Heather tried to let her daughter process her emotions alone, not realizing that her child was on the brink. In just 35 minutes, the whole family's lives changed.

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Describing the heartbreaking half hour that forever altered their lives, Heather told WCAX that her daughter was "spunky, so outgoing [and someone who] loved to dance. She was excited about the school year, excited about being a freshman."

"'I'm finally in high school, I'm not going to let things bother me, I'm going to succeed,"' Isabelle would tell her mother.

Her sorrowful disclosure on September 15th apprised friends and family of their unimaginable loss. "My world stopped today. We lost our precious Isabelle Vezina. I am forever changed. I can not and will not ever be the same without my baby girl. None of us will,' Heather wrote."

"Fourteen years with you wasn't even close to enough. I've always thought of myself as strong. Never have I felt so weak. I am consumed with a pain too immense to measure and too deep to heal," she added.

Isabelle was remembered as an outgoing, bubbly, and energetic girl in her obituary. She enjoyed sports, ice skating, baking, cooking, dancing, and making TikToks with family and friends. "Isabelle was a bright spark and destined to be a huge personality," the obituary noted.

Heather found some solace in the fact that her daughter's organs were donated. "She saved 7 lives and gave a child sight. Her brain was received by autism research which is a near and dear cause to us," Heather shared.

Meanwhile, The Mill School is investigating claims of bullying but has not provided details on the allegations. "We, at the Mill School, have been devastated by the loss of one of our students. We are working with the appropriate agencies and continue to provide counseling support," officials said.

The issue of teen suicides seems to be escalating in Vermont, with at least one death reported annually since 2019 among 14 year olds.

Anyone in the US who needs support can call the suicide hotline in the USA by dial ing 988 or contact the chat line at 988lifeline.org/chat for 24/7 free and confidential support.