17-Year-Old Jumps To Death From High School Building; Officials Urge More Attention On Mental Health

A 17-year-old student reportedly jumped to his death Thursday from the balcony of his high school in Florida.

The incident took place just before 10 a.m. at the Fort Lauderdale High School. The 12th grader was rushed to the hospital, but he did not survive, according to CBS News.

"The preliminary investigation shows that the student took his life in an act of suicide and had left messaging prior to doing that," Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said.

Several students were around during the fatal jump.

"One girl heard a thud," a highschooler, Samuel Fernandez, told 7News. "A lot of people heard thuds, and I think I heard from the culinary classroom, you could actually see him being wheeled out."

The school was placed under lockdown following the incident, and some parents arrived at the school to pick up their children.

The reason behind the student killing himself and the contents of the message he left were not revealed.

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Vickie L. Cartwright said it was an isolated incident.

"This morning, unfortunately, we are mourning the loss of one of our own students," Cartwright said. "Our entire school community is feeling the pain of this and we send out condolences to the family as well. The young man, unfortunately, did decide to take his own life. It was an isolated incident. There was one student involved in this, there are not any other students involved with what occurred this morning."

Officials took the opportunity to urge people to pay more attention to mental health.

"Mental health is not a game," Cartwright said, as quoted by WPLG Local 10.

"Parents and guardians, caregivers: If you see something different, if you're afraid it may be suicidal in nature, please dial 988," she added.

Parents who came to the school after hearing about the incident also said its important to pay more attention to kids.

"We need to take the time to see all of our students and to see them from their perspective of how heavy the world must seem," said Melissa Sherman, who sends her daughter to the same school. "I think, because as adults sometimes we tend to brush off things that our kids experience, but we never really know what's going on. Listen to your kids."

"I think we need to do something more about mental health," another parent, Paola McDonald, said. "Get together with your kids. Talk. Be there for them when they need to, even when they don't want to talk."

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.