Death of teenager in state care ruled a suicide; family still wonders how it happened

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Authorities told 8 On Your Side that a teenager took her own life at a state facility in Hillsborough County.

But the big question, according to Zy’kiria Bell’s family, remains unanswered: How could she have died while in state care?

While the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the county coroner ruled Zy’kiria Bell’s death a suicide, her family said they’ve heard a different story from the Department of Children and Families. With each passing day, they said they just want closure.

Zy’kiria was scheduled to return home on her 18th birthday on August 10.

“We’re going to have her birthday party and then come home like I promised her and make whatever she wanted for dinner,” said Sophia Bing, Zy’kiria Bell’s aunt.

Bing said her niece, Zy’kiria, died on May 29 at Lake Academy, a state facility in Tampa. Facilities like this are entrusted with caring for our most vulnerable youth.

“To this day, I cannot understand how you can keep a family waiting for so long without getting answers and not telling them anything other than that we are initiating criminal proceedings,” Bing said.

Bing said the family was not told her niece’s death had been ruled a suicide and she wonders what really happened based on the information provided by DCF.

“It has become clear to us that they do not believe she did this to herself. There are criminal investigations underway by various agencies and that is all we know,” she said.

A few days after Zy’kiria’s death, the Juvenile Justice Office closed the site.

“It took my niece losing her life for you to get involved and try to get answers to do something that, based on the information we are receiving, should have been done a long time ago,” Bing said.

The DJJ also announced that it had terminated Lake Academy’s $31.5 million provider contract, Tampa-based TrueCore Behavioral Solutions.

According to DJJ, TrueCore still operates 12 residential complexes in the state of Florida, including four in Hillsborough County.

“I think they should all be closed, not just one,” said Bing. “Why close just one because a child was lost there? Who’s to say that the others aren’t going through the same thing and the children aren’t suffering?”

TrueCore has since hired Tucker/Hall, a crisis PR firm, to represent it. When 8 On Your Side asked questions, a spokesperson said, “TrueCore has no updates at this time.”

“I don’t know. I need, we need closure,” Bing said. “We need closure and we have to accept it in any case, even if it was self-harm, which I don’t think it was, if that was the case, we have to accept it, and if it was anything else, we have to accept that too.”

While Zy’kiria’s family desperately pleads for closure, they have also sent this message to other families with children in government treatment programs like Lake Academy.

“Parents, check on your children, make sure your children are safe if you leave them there – start asking questions, dig deeper into what’s going on where your children are,” she said.

At this time, Hillsborough County has not released Zy’kiria Bell’s autopsy report, but 8 On Your Side has obtained the medical examiner’s first summary case report.

Zy’kiria was last seen by staff at 6:30 p.m. on May 29, who claimed she was “belligerent and refused to enter her room for the night.” A call to 911 was made half an hour later.

The sheriff’s office and paramedics responded. Zy’kiria was taken to the hospital, where she died an hour later. The report redacted the cause of death, but the sheriff’s office again said her death was ruled a suicide.

According to the DJJ’s 2023 annual compliance report, Lake Academy staff should have completed at least 120 hours of required training before having contact with the children. The training should have covered a wide range of topics, including suicide prevention, but the report says staff did not meet that requirement.

A DCF spokesperson sent 8 On Your Side this message: “The department conducts investigations into all allegations of abuse, neglect or abandonment. Information regarding the investigations is confidential pursuant to Section 39.202 of Florida Laws.”