By JOHN M. ANNESE and JILLIAN JORGENSEN
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The last thing she said on Twitter was, "I can't, I'm done, I give up."
And as a westbound train was pulling into the Huguenot Staten Island Railway station Wednesday afternoon, witnesses saw the 15-year-old Tottenville High School student saying, "Finally it's here," before jumping in front of it.
The girl -- who sources identified as Felicia Garcia -- was taken via ambulance to Staten Island University Hopital, Princes' Bay, where she was pronounced dead. An MTA spokeswoman confirmed her death Wednesday night, stating that the agency would conduct a joint investigation with the NYPD into its circumstances.
On Wednesday night, her death had sent ripples through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where teens sent out "rest in peace" messages and railed that she had been pushed to the edge by bullying. Law enforcement sources said they'll investigate to see what, if any, role bullying played in her death.
The scene unfolded shortly after 3 p.m., on a Huguenot train platform crowded with teens and pre-teens headed home from school.
Kayla Gonzalez, 14, and Nicole Messina, 13, both Huguenot residents and students at Paulo Intermediate School, said they saw Miss Garcia on the platform, her hair disheveled and in front of her face, looking upset.
"She kept asking everyone, 'When does the train come," Miss Gonzalez recounted. Then, as it approached, she turned around and dropped her bag and her phone, "Finally it's here," they recalled.
Miss Garcia then jumped backwards into the train's path, in what Miss Gonzalez described as "some kind of flip."
According to one passenger who phoned the Advance after the incident, the platform was crowded with students coming home from school as the train approached.
The passenger said he "heard a scream and everything stopped."
News of her apparent suicide sent immediate ripples through before her family had even heard what had happened.
Margarita Pabon, who identified herself as Miss Garcia's maternal aunt, said the girl's parents had died and she was living in a foster home. Ms. Pabon said she was contacted by the foster agency, and heard what happened through Facebook, but was still trying to get official word from police Wednesday night.
"I just don't want to believe it," Ms. Pabon said.
Her death comes roughly 10 months after 15-year-old Amanda Cummings was fatally injured after jumping in front of a city bus on Hylan Boulevard. Miss Cummings' family members maintain she was bullied and tormented by her peers, but police and law enforcement sources said they could find no evidence that bullying played any role in her death.
Miss Garcia wrote out her last tweet on Tuesday. On Wednesday night, several others repeated her words on their own Twitter feeds, writing messages like, "The saddest part about this tweet is that no one knew she actually meant it."
Miss Gonzalez said that she had seen several of her friends discussing the death on Instagram.
She said she had spent time with Miss Garcia, describing her as happy and good-spirited.
"She was like an outgoing person. She was always happy and I've bever really see her misearble,"
Miss Gonzalez said. "She was one of those girls who always wanted to party, like nothing really ever stopped her.
City Department of Education spokeswoman Margie Feinberg said the school system had gotten word of the incident, and confirmed that Chancellor Dennis Walcott had reached out to the girl's legal guardian.
The MTA suspended train service between the Eltingville and Tottenville stations in both directions as police investigated, and resumed service by 4:15 p.m. Several detectives spoke to teenagers on the scene, and conducted interviews outside the hospital's emergency room.
The incident occurred at the same platform where 18-year-old Kyle Jensen jumped in front of a train in an apparent suicide almost exactly two years ago.
-- Advance staffer Michael Sedon contributed to this report.
P.S. My three cents..
As I read this, my heart broke in a zillion places!
Dear Lord,
I know this little girl is with her mom and dad again.. next year.. let her know this story tore my heart out.. and I wished I could have helped her; but I didn't even know her...
Although I've been inches from where she was yesterday, in my mind because of the kidnapping of my babies; I can't imagine what kind of head-space she was in...
RIP Felicia!
P.P.S. I want to help children like this, BEFOFRE it's to late.. guys, girls, if you need help contact me!
UPDATE: http://www.silive.com/southshore/index.ssf/2012/10/friends_of_staten_island_teen.html
Tragic teen may have been bullied over sexual encounter
Several alluded to the allegations of intense bullying — possibly occasioned by a purported tryst between Miss Garcia and members of the school’s varsity football team — and slurs such as “slut,” “fat” and “ugly.”
The torment gnawed at Miss Garcia, they said.
“On Tuesday, in the school hallway, she broke down and was crying,” said friend Angelica Esposito, 14.
“That’s the only time I ever saw her cry,” said Taylor Hackett, 15, of Huguenot.
Said Alissa Compitello, 17, of Huguenot, “She told me she was upset but I never thought something like this would happen.
“She made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes. But you are supposed to learn from your mistakes not die for them.”
Palma said he has raised $5,000 from selling candles, while Miss Compitello plans on selling bracelets. Along with Mariah Alimossy, 16, of Annadale, they plan to use the proceeds toward funeral costs and to create a foundation in Miss Garcia’s name to help prevent suicide and combat bullying.
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