Who was Jaylee Chillson? 'Bullied' Kansas teen shot herself dead in front of cop after disobeying parents to attend party
AURORA, KANSAS: Jaylee Chillson, a 14-year-old "bullied" teenage girl who left her family home after disobeying her parents to attend a field party in Aurora, Kansas, died in her father's arms after fatally shooting herself when cops attempted to bring her home.
The Cloud County Sheriff’s Office reportedly received a call about Chillson running away from home earlier that day, KAKE-TV News reported.
The teenager was reportedly at the outdoor gathering around 11:30 pm on Saturday, September 16, when a deputy tracked her down.
As the cop attempted to talk her about returning home, Chillson pulled out a gun and shot herself.
Chillson's father, Jeb, recalled hearing a gunshot after a Cloud County Sheriff's Office deputy tracked down his daughter.
Shortly after, he found Chillson lying on the ground. While authorities launched a probe into her death, it remains unknown how the teen got hold of the gun.
Jaylee Chillson has been described as 'bubbly' and 'happy' by her family
Chillson was born in Manhattan, Kansas, as per her obituary. She reportedly enjoyed fishing, camping, and hunting while softball was "another favorite activity" for her.
The 14-year-old also enjoyed riding in a semi-truck with her father and wanted to become a diesel mechanic. According to the Daily Mail, Chillson's family described her as a "happy" and "bubbly" girl.
In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Chillson's mother, Stacie, said the "world lost one of its brightest lights," following the teen's death.
"This girl has the biggest heart of anyone I know and has since she was just a little girl. There wasn’t a day that went by that she couldn’t make you laugh till you couldn’t breathe," the grieving mother added.
"She is amazing. Perfect. Everything you could ever ask for in a daughter. She’s beautiful. She’s smart. She is our everything," she continued.
"Our hearts our shattering. It’s unbearable. It’s not fair. She was our best friend. The best daughter. The best big sister. The best granddaughter. There is nothing that will ever make this hurt go away," Stacie added.
A GoFundMe page was also launched to raise funds for Chillson's funeral and memorial expenses. The fundraiser had garnered over $8,700 of its $20,000 goal, at the time of writing.
"We've created this GoFundMe to help the Chillson family provide Jaylee a dignified farewell. Your contribution, no matter how small, will ease their financial burden and let them focus on healing after this devastating loss," the GoFundMe page read.
"Please donate today to help this grieving family. Your kindness will help them through this heart-wrenching journey and honor Jaylee's memory. Thank you for your compassion during this difficult time," it added.
Chillson is survived by her parents, four brothers, and four grandparents.
Jaylee Chillson's family claimed she was 'bullied' for several years
In the wake of Chillson's death, her family told the Daily Mail that she was mercilessly bullied for years and that the Clay County school district failed to take any action against it despite their numerous concerns.
Chillson reportedly came home with "bruises on her arms," had a flammable substance rubbed into her hair and even moved from Clay County Centre High School to Wakefield in an attempt to get rid of the bullying, the publication noted.
Her parents said "something needs to change" and mentioned that the entire district is in need of a "regime" change.
Chillson's family also mentioned that the teen had been going to therapy for help and said that both they and her therapist were shocked by the tragic incident.
Chillson's mother echoed similar sentiments in her Facebook post. "I’m also angry. I’m angry with those that hurt my baby," Stacie said.
"I’m furious with those I KNOW hurt her and will talk about her now like they didn’t play a part in crushing her," she stated.
"I’ve read days worth of messages from her “friends” that treated her absolutely awful. Watched as she was not included with girls on her sports teams. Watched adults on a school level repeatedly fail her," Stacie claimed.
"Watched as girls that were once her best friends not even acknowledge her when she would walk by them, and watch a handful of parents who used to gush about her and how amazing she was turn to calling her names and talking badly about her to their kids," she continued.
"No one outside of our family and her threpist know what the last year of her life has been like. Please stop making assumptions, please don’t judge her," Stacie said.
"And please do not, if you know YOU were part of the problem, if you knew YOUR child was part of the problem, use my daughters name now that she’s gone. You don’t deserve to," she demanded.
"She deserved everything she ever could have wanted in this world. We love you with all our heart and soul our sweet baby girl. We love you more than anything," the heartbroken mother concluded.
Jaylee Chillson's father fought to save her life
Chillson's father, Jeb, who is a former EMT, spoke to the Daily Mail about the terrifying moment he found his daughter had fatally shot herself.
"I heard people talking about a gun. I hear a gunshot ring out, and I call the dispatch and ask if their deputy shot, and they said no, but they hear reports of shots fired," he recalled.
"They told me not to go in there, but I said used to be an EMT, I can help. When I got closer, they told me that there was a girl shot, so I took off running," Jeb shared.
"I see my daughter on the ground, being held up by one of the party goes. As I come up to the deputy, he tells me that she pulled the gun out and shot herself as he was going over to her," he continued.
"I told them that we needed to call for a helicopter and an ambulance. We're putting pressure on her, and when the paramedic got there, they had already made up their minds about her," Jeb remembered.
He also shared that he fought for more than 15 minutes to save Chillson. "Both myself and the officer felt a pulse on my daughter, but the paramedic didn't check or do anything," Jeb said.
"I started doing CPR on my daughter for about ten minutes. I told them that I wasn't going to let my daughter die without trying," he recalled.
"I'm begging them to give her an IV and to help me, but he wouldn't. I asked him if it was about the money, then I'll pay for it, and he starts laughing at me as I'm trying to save my daughter," the father-of-five alleged.
"He did apologize as I was doing CPR. By the time they started the monitor it was too late. I did everything I could for as long as I could to save her," Jeb mentioned.
What did officials say about Jaylee Chillson's tragic death?
The Cloud County Sheriff Department addressed Chillson's tragic death in a press release.
"A deputy responded to the outdoor field party that was attended by college and high school students, occurring near 210th R. and Lark Rd. in Aurora," a statement read.
Upon locating Chillson, the deputy "escorted her to his patrol vehicle" before "she pulled out a firearm and shot herself." The department further explained, "The deputy did not draw his firearm."
"The sheriff’s deputy and an off-duty firefighter attempted life-saving measures but the girl was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after midnight," the statement mentioned.
The Cloud County Sheriff’s Office also requested the assistance of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which has been asked to conduct a death investigation that will "ensure impartiality since their deputy was present during the shooting."