18-year-old Texas student Brandy Vela shot herself in the chest in late November of this year.
Fox8 reports that Brandy shot herself in her room in front of her family. They had rushed home to see her when her sister became concerned after receiving a text that said: "I love you so much, please remember that, and I'm sorry for everything".
Although it is reported that they pleaded with her not to pull the trigger, she had already made up her mind after being "relentlessly bullied".
Her sister said: “People would make up fake Facebook accounts and they would message her and she wouldn’t respond and they would still come at her.
“They would say really, really mean things like, ‘Why are you still here?’ They would call her fat and ugly. She was beautiful, absolutely beautiful; the only thing people could find to pick on her was her weight.”
Jackie also said her sister changed her phone number and reported the bullying to police, but was told they couldn’t help her.
CNN reports that Texas City police are now investigating and are "following up on several tips that came in".
However, the situation has escalated since her death and it has been reported that two days after her funeral someone opened a social media page in her name.
"After a few minutes, either four people or the same person posting four times said some things harassing Brandy about being a big fat cow, writing ‘you finally did it’ with a picture of a gun, writing ‘you’re a coward,’ ‘you should have done this a long time ago,’ some really horrific things.”
Brandy's bullies continue to torture her family, even after her death.
Many people have spoken out on social media against the bullies, calling them cruel, cowardly and insecure.
Even in death she can not rest #BrandyVela .#trolls are creating #fake #facebook #accounts to still bully her about her weight even in death
— Queen (@ward_reckly456) December 15, 2016
To #BrandyVela's #haters -- I feel sorry for you. It's very obvious you are not loved in your life. #StopCyberbullying #NoHate https://t.co/p5ua5Urcjm
— Lucy Sharvet 🎨🖊 (@lucysharvet) December 15, 2016
I don't understand how anyone can cyber bully her. She was beautiful. Whoever did must really be that insecure about themselves #brandyvela
— J'Ardoin Janǽ (@JArdoin_814) December 13, 2016
I hope you found peace & happiness babe. #brandyvela #fuckbullying
— Yoaun (@yoaunill_) December 5, 2016
I just want to send my condolences to Brandy Vela, another beautiful lady gone to heaven because of bullying. Why? R.I.H #brandyvela #bully
— DeVon Jackson (@BLBApparel1) December 4, 2016
I can't get the story of Brandy Vela off my mind...it's so sad
— saul goodman (@chadham5454) December 4, 2016
My heart breaks for Brandy Vela and her family. I wish there was some way to track down the bullies who caused her to take her own life 💔
— CharleneMcElhinney🍑 (@blogabtnothing1) December 4, 2016
If you or someone you know has been affected by bullying, Barnardos provides information and resources about bullying here.