Published: 00:13 EST, 5 June 2015 | Updated: 02:40 EST, 5 June 2015
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A 13-year-old girl killed leaped to her death from a freeway overpass after her father cut off her hair as a punishment, and video of the aftermath made it online.
Izabel Laxamana, from Tacoma, Washington, was found on the Interstate 5 freeway last Friday after taking a fall from a bridge above, and died the next day.
Footage posted online not long before showed Izabel standing over a pile of her long, black hair as a male voice berated her.
However, police have denied that the video and the suicide are directly linked.
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Punishment: Izabel Laxamana, 13, is pictured above in a video showing her (left) after a haircut she was given as punishment. The footage included a glimpse of a pile of her hair, right, which had been cut off by her father
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Before: Izabel, pictured above before the punishment, used to have long, flowing hair. She died after jumping from a road overpass onto Interstate 5, which runs through Tacoma, Washington
'Shaming video' of Izabel Laxamana posted to social media
In the footage, Izabel's father characterizes her rough, new haircut as 'The consequences of getting messed up.'
He adds: 'Man, you lost all that beautiful hair. Was it worth it?'
A timid Izabel said 'no', and the man asked how many times she was warned. Speaking very quietly, she seemed to respond 'a lot'.
Social media photos from before the video show her with hair well past her shoulders.
The footage has since been removed, but one of Izabel's friends has reposted the 15-second clip since.
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Death: Izabel died after leaping from this bridge over the freeway. She was taken to hospital alive, but did not survive the next day. Police have said the video didn't cause her death
According to Tacoma police, who spoke to the New York Daily News, Izabel's father did not upload the video, and never meant for it to be published.
Instead, it was apparently uploaded by a third party who had been sent the video and 'thought they were being of help' sharing it more widely.
The department also insisted that Izabel killed herself for reasons other than the video.
It was claimed online that the suicide could have been related to bullying at school, but Tacoma police also said this was not the reason.
According to Tacoma's News Tribune newspaper, Izabel was a student at Giaudrone Middle School.
A report, which did not identify her by name, said that medical examiners had ruled her death a suicide.
To speak to a skilled, trained counselor, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1800 273 8255.
Why the hell would he record that if he didn't want her shamed online? And, yeah, I am sure she was bullied MORE after he whacked off her hair. What a jerk.
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
I really need more information.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
In the footage, Izabel's father characterizes her rough, new haircut as 'The consequences of getting messed up.'
He adds: 'Man, you lost all that beautiful hair. Was it worth it?'
A timid Izabel said 'no', and the man asked how many times she was warned. Speaking very quietly, she seemed to respond 'a lot'.
flan
"Timid" is after the fact, not before.
The girl had been warned, should have been enough to set her straight, it didn't, so dad carried through with his threat. Nothing wrong with parenting.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
I really need more information.
Yes, I agree.
How do the police "know" why she jumped?
flan
They don't. Nobody really knows why anyone does do they?
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
I really need more information.
I don't know. I can't think of many circumstances where I would hack off my daughter's beautiful hair. Perhaps only if she did that to someone else.
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
I really need more information.
I don't know. I can't think of many circumstances where I would hack off my daughter's beautiful hair. Perhaps only if she did that to someone else.
There are barbershops that give boys military haircuts all the time. Usually dad brings the misbehaving kid in for the haircut as a punishment.
I am aware of one parent who purposely keeps her DD's hair short. The girl has to earn the right to have long hair. Yeah, the girl is into stealing big time and she is only 13. Her behavioral problems have been going on for several years. Counseling has done nothing for the girl.
I suspect that in this case, there were long on going problems.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
My parents cut my hair as punishment, but only an inch at a time for each punishment. It was the only punishment that worked with me. I didn't care if they took away TV or made me stay in my room. I'd just curl up with a book & my parents would have never forbidden me to read so it was my hair.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit.
A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary.
IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut.
And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
And FTR - I don't think a parent should punish a kid by cutting off their hair.
I agree. You don't alter your child's appearance because they didn't listen.
I agree with both of you. If a hair cut is unavoidable, take them to have it done. Doing it yourself ( unless you know how to cut hair) is a control move to shame the kid. I am biased though. I kn ow two girls whose fathers bcut their hair as 'punishment', and both fathers were crazy and scary.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
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Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
I loved my long hair. When I was visiting my grandmother she took me to a hairdresser & got a Dorothy Hamil cut. I was devastated & crushed. I hated it. I cried all Summer & was scared everyone would make fun of me when school started again. I was going into 4th grade. It took forever to grow out & to this day I have never had my hair shorter than shoulder length.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
flan
Would you have killed yourself?
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I don't really think it is the cutting of hair. Yes it would be upsetting but to me it is the public shaming that got to her. I remember when my mom berated me in front of strangers in a laundry mat and just kept doing it. It was so awful. I wasn't much older then this girl. Sometimes kids don't think about their choices. Upset and thinking if I kill myself they would be sorry or just so heartbroken and shamed she just wanted to end it. The sad thing is if she just waited a day or two those suicidal feelings would most likely have passed. I think she being just 13 and emotionally frail and needed a shoulder to cry on.
That is a vast bridge between FEELING devastated and killing yourself. Even 13 year olds know the difference. If they don't, there is something wrong with them.
Shesh, there are a lot of special snowflakes out there, who are 13 years old!
When my parents laid down the rules, by gosh, we obeyed.
But, hey, lets blame the parents for EVERYTHING!
There is nothing wrong with laying down the law and expecting the 13 year old to follow the rules. This kid was warned NUMEROUS times and still failed to obey. She pushed the button, she paid the price and then was so "devastated", she killed herself.
Nope, not buying it.
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
I really need more information.
I don't know. I can't think of many circumstances where I would hack off my daughter's beautiful hair. Perhaps only if she did that to someone else.
There are barbershops that give boys military haircuts all the time. Usually dad brings the misbehaving kid in for the haircut as a punishment.
I am aware of one parent who purposely keeps her DD's hair short. The girl has to earn the right to have long hair. Yeah, the girl is into stealing big time and she is only 13. Her behavioral problems have been going on for several years. Counseling has done nothing for the girl.
I suspect that in this case, there were long on going problems.
This parent really would benefit from taking a parenting class. Ugh.
Around here that means drugs, drinking and running wild.
I don't have a problem with the hair being cut.
I don't know why it would be recorded and put online. People put way too much online these days.
If dad had also grounded her, she would be pouting in her room right now.
In my opinion, dad should have grounded her too.
__________________
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I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
flan
Would you have killed yourself?
You know what? At certain points in my 13 year old angst, I might have tried to,yes. My hair was that important to me. I went to a school where how you looked and dressed was everything. No amount of "you look beautiful no matter what" makes what your peers say about you go away 100%. If my hair had been cut like this at certain vulnerable times in my life as a teen I can't honestly say I wouldn't have. And it wouldn't be all about the hair - it would also be about how disrespected by my parents I felt. Violated.
And I am not excusing her misbehavior. I just don't think this was an appropriate punishment.
__________________
Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
I really need more information.
I don't know. I can't think of many circumstances where I would hack off my daughter's beautiful hair. Perhaps only if she did that to someone else.
There are barbershops that give boys military haircuts all the time. Usually dad brings the misbehaving kid in for the haircut as a punishment.
I am aware of one parent who purposely keeps her DD's hair short. The girl has to earn the right to have long hair. Yeah, the girl is into stealing big time and she is only 13. Her behavioral problems have been going on for several years. Counseling has done nothing for the girl.
I suspect that in this case, there were long on going problems.
This parent really would benefit from taking a parenting class. Ugh.
The kid has been in counseling for years. They do family counseling. What more do you want? Hm?
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
flan
Would you have killed yourself?
You know what? At certain points in my 13 year old angst, I might have tried to,yes. My hair was that important to me. I went to a school where how you looked and dressed was everything. No amount of "you look beautiful no matter what" makes what your peers say about you go away 100%. If my hair had been cut like this at certain vulnerable times in my life as a teen I can't honestly say I wouldn't have. And it wouldn't be all about the hair - it would also be about how disrespected by my parents I felt. Violated.
And I am not excusing her misbehavior. I just don't think this was an appropriate punishment.
Who gets to decide "appropriate " punishment?
-- Edited by just Czech on Friday 5th of June 2015 02:12:23 PM
__________________
I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
My question, what had she been doing that her father felt she needed this sort of punishment?
I am not going to jump on the band wagon of "he's the worst dad ever". Parents have to parent their misbehaving kids. IMHO, getting her hair cut is mild. You rather he had beat her?
I really need more information.
Exactly. The reason we have so many kids who have no respect is because we never let them feel bad when they do something bad.
__________________
I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
flan
Would you have killed yourself?
You know what? At certain points in my 13 year old angst, I might have tried to,yes. My hair was that important to me. I went to a school where how you looked and dressed was everything. No amount of "you look beautiful no matter what" makes what your peers say about you go away 100%. If my hair had been cut like this at certain vulnerable times in my life as a teen I can't honestly say I wouldn't have. And it wouldn't be all about the hair - it would also be about how disrespected by my parents I felt. Violated.
And I am not excusing her misbehavior. I just don't think this was an appropriate punishment.
Then you had some serious problems. No matter how horrible I felt about my outfit, my hair, and I'm sure some kids with acne - if a bad haircut would make you off yourself, you should be getting some help.
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
flan
Would you have killed yourself?
You know what? At certain points in my 13 year old angst, I might have tried to,yes. My hair was that important to me. I went to a school where how you looked and dressed was everything. No amount of "you look beautiful no matter what" makes what your peers say about you go away 100%. If my hair had been cut like this at certain vulnerable times in my life as a teen I can't honestly say I wouldn't have. And it wouldn't be all about the hair - it would also be about how disrespected by my parents I felt. Violated.
And I am not excusing her misbehavior. I just don't think this was an appropriate punishment.
He disagrees. So what?
__________________
I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
flan
Would you have killed yourself?
You know what? At certain points in my 13 year old angst, I might have tried to,yes. My hair was that important to me. I went to a school where how you looked and dressed was everything. No amount of "you look beautiful no matter what" makes what your peers say about you go away 100%. If my hair had been cut like this at certain vulnerable times in my life as a teen I can't honestly say I wouldn't have. And it wouldn't be all about the hair - it would also be about how disrespected by my parents I felt. Violated.
And I am not excusing her misbehavior. I just don't think this was an appropriate punishment.
I, personally, would not cut off my child's hair as punishment. But, I think parents have the right to parent as they see fit. A hair cut is NOT a life altering event. It is temporary. IMHO, this child had lots of problems prior to the hair cut. And a haircut is NOT life threatening.
For you a haircut is not a life altering event. At 13, it certainly would have been for me. I would have been totally devastated. I can't even explain how violated I would have felt. Some people really take a lot of pride in their hair and it means a lot to them. I am not excusing whatever she did wrong. But you cannot say it was a stupid little thing to cut her hair. It would have totally ruined my life at that age. At 13 there are so many things going on inside your head and so many reasons to feel insecure.
And we have no idea if the father's expectations for his daughter were reasonable.
I wore my hair long in junior high and high school (still do), and I would have been devastated if I had been forced to cut it.
flan
Would you have killed yourself?
You know what? At certain points in my 13 year old angst, I might have tried to,yes. My hair was that important to me. I went to a school where how you looked and dressed was everything. No amount of "you look beautiful no matter what" makes what your peers say about you go away 100%. If my hair had been cut like this at certain vulnerable times in my life as a teen I can't honestly say I wouldn't have. And it wouldn't be all about the hair - it would also be about how disrespected by my parents I felt. Violated.
And I am not excusing her misbehavior. I just don't think this was an appropriate punishment.
He disagrees. So what?
He no longer has a daughter...
flan
Sure--but you don't know that this had anything to do with that. You don't know that some other punishment--ANY punishment wouldn't have had the same result. Sure, it's easy to feel all superior because your kids didnt off themselves, but THOUSANDS so kids have done so for thousands of different reasons--or no reason.
__________________
I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.
Well, I could agree with you--but then we'd both be wrong.