Santa Sabina College principal speaks out after memorial of Charlotte O’Brien removed

The parents of a 12-year-old Sydney schoolgirl who took her life following allegations of relentless bullying last month feel they were shown “no empathy” during a meeting with the school’s principal.

Charlotte O’Brien died by suicide on September 9 after allegedly suffering years of torment and harassment at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield and on social media.

A month later, Charlotte’s heartbroken parents Mat and Kelly say they have met with the school’s principal, but were dismayed at what they say was “no empathy” during the 20-minute meeting.

Mat told Ben Fordham’s 2GB program on Tuesday it had taken them weeks to organise a meeting with the school’s principal.

“That glimmer of hope that anything positive to come from that meeting was squashed the moment we arrived,” he said.

Mat explained how “incredibly hard” it was to walk through the school gates full of young girls their daughter’s age.

“We had to navigate ourselves across the school grounds, surrounded by other girls in their school uniform, knowing that we will never see our daughter again. That was incredibly hard for us,” he said.

“We arrived there and met with the principal. When I shared the feedback, she wasn’t interested in receiving that. The feedback was interrupted. It was discounted. It was disagreed with.

“I sat across the room from a lady (the principal) that showed myself and the rest of the family no emotion or empathy at all.”

Mat added the principal did not offer any kind of apology for what happened to their daughter, and said “there was no accountability at all”.

“The questions we wanted answered were simply not answered at all,” he said.

“We were left to show ourselves out of the school grounds.”

“The last image that I will have of that school was as I looked behind me, Kelly was carrying some items of Charlotte’s and watching her squeeze herself and that box through those closed gates was one of the hardest things that I’ve seen.

“Kelly got in the car and that was the worst I had seen her since the funeral. She said to me ‘I felt my daughter’s life did not matter’.

The parent’s heartbreaking message comes after the school was slammed for removing a memorial in place to remember Charlotte.

Santa Sabina College principal Paulina Skerman told 7NEWS.com.au the memorial was removed according to advice from mental health experts.

“On the advice of mental health experts including Headspace, who are working with the college, we removed the memorial because of the concerns that were raised about the impact this could have on other young people,” Skerman said.

“The college is working with Charlotte’s family to find a permanent and loving way to remember Charlotte.

“We guarantee she will not be forgotten.”

Charlotte’s parents had previously said they raised bullying concerns multiple times with the school and although the school investigated, no further action was taken.

“One day she just burst into tears and she said ‘everybody hates me. I’m a monster. I’ve got no friends. They’re so mean to me’,” Kelly told 2GB.

In a note before her death, Charlotte called out the bullying she had received at the school and asked her parents to tell the school, Kelly said.

The grieving mother made public the heartbreaking email she sent the school following Charlotte’s death.

“I was scared to label it bullying but that’s exactly what it was,” she said.

“I begged the school to intervene with these girls and now she is gone forever.”

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.