SoCal family seeks justice after bullying leads to daughter's suicide

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Thirteen-year-old Mia Leah Mejia was known for her bright smile. She was passionate about gymnastics and dreamed of one day attending UCLA to become a gymnastics coach.

"She was a really good girl," said her mother, Veronica Mejia. "She was always happy, she always tried to help others." But on March 17, 2025, Mia, a 7th grader at Lexington Junior High School in Cypress, died by suicide.

Her parents, Veronica and Gustavo Mejia, believe relentless bullying at school drove their daughter to that point. Her parents say they later learned she was being bullied by two male classmates, not only verbally, but physically. 

What they're saying:

"On her phone we saw a lot of messages from that week that she was bullied," Gustavo said. 

According to her parents, she was repeatedly targeted by two male classmates; bullied not only verbally, but also physically. 

"She was being pushed against the wall, both days," Gustavo recalled. "On the third day she got up and went to the restroom." 

The Mejias allege one student broke Mia’s laptop on two separate occasions, including shortly before her death. 

"The second time, I went to the office," Veronica said. "The secretary told me a guy from one of her classes broke it again." 

The family also says text messages found on Mia’s phone described another incident where she wrote to a friend: "The same guys who bullied me earlier shoved me into a wall when I was walking out of school."

Despite those struggles, her parents say Mia never showed them how much she was hurting. 

"When we picked her up, she looked fine," Gustavo said. "Nothing different."

The Mejias say school and district officials have offered little help in identifying who was responsible. Out of frustration, they turned to social media, posting videos on TikTok to ask witnesses to come forward.

"I want these guys to stop hurting other kids," Veronica said. "I don’t want to see other mothers feel my pain. Those people have to face consequences for what they did. They have to learn to be better people, because my daughter was a good person."

The other side:

Lexington Junior Elementary falls under the Anaheim Union High School District. When contacted for comment, the district provided the following statement: "Out of respect for the privacy of all involved, we are not able to comment."

What you can do:

The Mejias have created a website in Mia’s honor, where people can read her story and share any information they may have about those who bullied her. The website is mialeahmejia.com.