This past Sunday, Emerald Miller, a 13-year-old from Griffith, Indiana died by suicide after family says she was badly bullied at school.

Emerald was an honor roll student at Griffith Middle School who loved singing, drama, drawing.

“I honestly just hope that she’s remembered for the type of person that she was. I feel like everybody needs someone like her,” said Emerald’s friend Dahlia Bonomo. “I don’t know. I tried hard to maybe get things to stop and nobody listened.”

“I am upset that this is a friendship cut short. I am sad that they only got a few months to spend together,” said Amanda Bonomo, Dahlia’s mother. “We need to come together as parents and, you know, figure out solutions together because at the end of the day, I don’t think it’s all on administration. I think a lot of this, you now, it starts at home.”

Emerald’s mother in a statement wrote:

“We are completely and utterly destroyed by the loss of our beautiful daughter. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend. She was an honor roll student her entire school career. She was in choir and drama. She loved to sing and draw and skate. She was very kind and always stopped to compliment strangers on the street. Everything changed at the end of August when some kids decided to start bullying her. She had to go to impatient care for a week. You would think it would have stopped there when these kids saw how much they were hurting her but no. She spoke up at school for help. I spoke up at school for help. The school said there wasn’t much they could do. I pulled her out of school for months and she just went back two weeks before this happened. She loved school and missed it. I don’t understand how people could be so cruel to her.”

Police and school officials did not respond to NBC Chicago’s numerous requests for comment. But Superintendent Leah Dumezich sent a message to students and parents this week that reads:

“It is with profound sadness that we confirm the loss of one of our students. This is a heartbreaking time for our school community, and we are grieving alongside our students, staff, and families. Our hearts are with the student’s family, friends, classmates, and teachers as they navigate an unimaginable loss. We ask that they be met with compassion, privacy, and care during this time.

“When something so painful happens, it is natural to want answers and to try to make sense of what has occurred. We understand that instinct, and we share the community’s concern and sorrow. At the same time, we are deeply worried about the spread of unverified information online and within the community. Rumors and speculation—especially during moments of grief—can unintentionally create fear, confusion, and safety concerns for students, and can cause additional harm to those who are already hurting. For the well-being of our students and families, we are asking our community to pause, lead with kindness, and refrain from sharing unconfirmed information.

“We are limited in what we can share, not out of avoidance, but out of respect for the student, the family, and the legal protections in place for minor children. We want to be clear and transparent about those boundaries while also assuring our community that we are taking this situation with the utmost seriousness. We have fully cooperated with the Griffith Police Department and will continue to do so.”

Renee Tinsley is a parent and grandparent with grandchildren in the district.

“It’s very upsetting to see a young life lost,” she said. “I have a 14-year-old granddaughter, and she does go to the school. If I lost her, I wouldn’t know what to do. It’s a very sad to see a young girl who couldn’t find a way out. There’s nothing that we can do to bring her back, but I think there’s something that we can remember her by, by being nice.”

Wednesday night, dozens of homes in Griffith were adorned with green lights for Emerald. An online fundraiser has been established to help her family with expenses.

Advocates are also urging anyone with mental health struggles to reach out for help.

“We always say if you are concerned about someone or notice something off – trust your gut. Just reach out,” said Angela Cummings, executive director of the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “There is help available.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, help is available by dialing or texting 988 the suicide and crisis lifeline.