Los Angeles, California — The father of a 17-year-old student who died after falling from a fourth-floor railing at a Los Angeles high school is demanding accountability amid allegations that bullying and a physical confrontation preceded his son’s death.
William Amaya, 40, said his son, Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, deserved protection at school and called for stronger campus security. His comments came as the family continued seeking answers about what happened at Benjamin Franklin High School and urged the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to take action.
Xavier died on September 30. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide, citing multiple blunt traumatic injuries to the head and torso. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Father Demands Accountability After Son’s Death
Amaya spoke to the California Post while protesting the lack of law enforcement on school grounds outside an LAUSD school board meeting.
“He should be accountable for what he did,” Amaya told the publication, referring to a student accused of assaulting his son.
The other student has not been publicly identified, and no charges have been filed against him.
Amaya believes bullying played a role in the tragedy. However, investigators have not established a confirmed connection between the reported bullying and Xavier’s death.
“Bullying was a factor. I don’t think no one in their right mind would jump off the fourth floor,” Amaya said. “This would have been prevented if enforcement was on campus.”
The grieving father also said neither the school, the district nor the LAPD had contacted him or his family.
Police Say Bullying Link Has Not Been Established
The LAPD has cautioned against drawing conclusions while the investigation remains ongoing.
“At this preliminary stage of the investigation, detectives have not identified evidence establishing a connection between allegations of bullying and the student’s death,” the department said last week.
The statement contrasts with the family’s belief that the alleged assault and school safety conditions need closer scrutiny.
A video described in the original report reportedly showed Xavier being verbally taunted and repeatedly punched by a classmate inside a classroom while an elderly teacher attempted to intervene.
After getting back to his feet, Xavier was seen running into an outdoor hallway, followed by the other student. Moments later, he went over a fourth-floor railing.
The circumstances shown in the footage have intensified questions about student safety and whether additional intervention could have prevented the tragedy. However, the precise relationship between the confrontation and Xavier’s death remains under investigation.
‘He Was Looking Forward to Start Working’
Amaya rejected the suggestion that his son had been suicidal, saying Xavier had plans for his future.
“He was not,” Amaya said. “He was looking forward to start working, he had plans.”
The father said his immediate priority was laying his son to rest. He declined to say whether the family had retained an attorney or planned legal action against the school district, adding that the family would issue a statement later.
An LAUSD spokesperson expressed condolences to the family and the school community.
“Our hearts are with family, friends, and the Franklin High School community as they grieve this loss,” the spokesperson told the California Post. “However, we are unable to comment about individual circumstances due to confidentiality and privacy laws.”
Family Calls for Police and Stronger School Security
Amaya, who also attended Franklin High School in the early 2000s, said he believes conditions have deteriorated since his time as a student.
“Things are worse at Franklin now,” he said.
He recalled that police officers were present on campus when he attended, intervening in fights and enforcing discipline. He now wants officers to be present while students are at school.
The LAUSD school board voted unanimously on February 16, 2021, to remove school police officers from campuses and replace them with school climate coaches.
Xavier’s aunt, Stephanie Amaya, 37, is also calling for changes across the district.
“Right now it’s not just bring back the police, it’s bring back the police and have them be on campus every time our kids are on campus right now,” she told the California Post.
“We need every single school and every single kid to have a chance and feel protected,” she added. “We need accountability, we need extra police, we need protection for our kids in school.”
Petition Gains Support as Family Seeks Changes
Stephanie Amaya organized a petition urging LAUSD to improve school security. The petition alleges that Xavier was assaulted during class without timely intervention from security personnel and that students recorded the assault and his fatal fall.
It calls for security cameras, trained police officers on every campus, better training for security staff, more walkie-talkies for school personnel and safer railings on every floor.
The petition had gathered more than 680 signatures as of the report, with the family hoping to collect additional support before presenting it to the school board.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign established to help cover Xavier’s funeral expenses had raised more than $189,000 toward its $200,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon.
As the family grieves, its calls for accountability and improved campus protection continue. The LAPD investigation remains important to establishing the circumstances surrounding Xavier’s death, while the family presses the district to address its concerns about student safety.
What steps do you believe schools should take to protect students from bullying and violence? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
