Southlake girl dies on Friday

[Was a Suicide]

0810642 Tarrant Flora Margaret 15 years old Died: 9/5/2008 White F

Police Department: Southlake PD Police Svc #: 08SP042049

Deceased Address: 880 Harbor Ct., Southlake, Texas 76092 Time Of Death 10:45 PM

Occurred Location: 880 Harbor Ct., Southlake, Texas 76092

Grapevine, Texas Manner Of Death: SUICIDE

Cause Of Death: HANGING

Friday, Sep. 12, 2008
Death of Southlake Teen Ruled Suicide by Hanging
By Larry Roquemore
Staff Writer
A memorial service for Margaret "Maggie" Flora, 15, a former student at Carroll High School, took place with an overflow crowd of mostly students on Sept. 9 at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake. The girl’s death on Sept. 5 was ruled a suicide by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner.

Southlake Police Lt. Rhonda Moore said the teen’s mom, Diedra Flora, discovered her daughter Friday night hanging in the girl’s bedroom at their home in the 800 block of Harbor Court. Police would not confirm or deny that a suicide note was left behind.

Sources said the victim had threatened suicide in the past and had recently undergone treatment for depression.

Diedra Flora is an economics teacher at Carroll Senior High School.

Most school districts have programs designed to convince students that taking their own lives is never the answer to life’s problems. Teen suicide has been on the rise both nationally and locally. Last October, a 15-year-old Colleyville girl hanged herself in her bedroom, and in 2004 two Colleyville 15-year-olds hanged themselves, also not long after the start of school.

Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home in Colleyville, which handled the arrangements, provided an obituary that stated that Maggie had attended Southlake schools, but had enrolled this year at the private Clariden School.

"God gave Maggie many talents," the obituary read, "drawing, painting, sculpting, singing, acting and a deep love for people and animals. Her work included coaching basketball for special-needs young people, and a constant effort to rescue and rehabilitate animals."

Survivors include her parents, Ward and Diedra Flora, and her brother Sam.

[Maggies Cousin]

Oh Really wrote:

<quoted text>
I thought suicide was a sin? That's not a very christian thing to do now is it?

I hope you never have to gow through any losses in your life. You obviously need help. She was a young, beautiful, smart, and gifted yound lady. She touched so many lives. She just had a hard time feeling the love those of us had for her. When you are a teen everything is hard. You feel all of your emotions times 10. Some people can deal with it and some can't. Maybe, if we would put others above ourselves we could their needs and try to fufill them instead of our own. As the "christian" thing goes. sin is sin, and no matter what the sin is THANK GOD HE FORGIVES. Maybe we should do the same.

[Shawna]

Couple of things:
My cousin was one of the most popular boys in his school, and he committed suicide. It is not about popularity, it is about depression and about the choices we make. Unfortunately, people who are depressed do tend to turn to drugs and alcohol which only exacerbates the problem.
AND, high school is TOUGH. It is a tough time in life for teenagers. Teenagers are the most judgemental age that I have met, and yes, Southlake seems to have a bit more of the snobby, and trys to demand higher standards. This is about the parents and the kids. If you raise your kids well, and if you pay attention to what is going on, you can try to help if there is a REAL problem. But, if the problem is this BAD, it might not matter what you or anyone else does. A true suicidal person will end it given any opportunity.
I agree that this is the most selfish act a person can commit, but I also know the people who are still here - family and friends - are suffering greatly and trying to figure out how they could let something like this happen. Do you know how hard that is? Put yourself in their shoes and show some respect and get over being a teenager who thinks they know everything, because you don't. Life is a constant learning experience and humility isn't as hard as you might think.

[Sam Flora]

Was a Suicide wrote:

It's obvious she was resentful of her parents for withdrawing her from Southlake High, making her attend the Clariden montesorri school and forcing her to break up with her boyfriend and were too busy in their lives to see the signs of this tragic ending. I only hope they watch the son's signs and behavior better than they did her.

F**k you, you lousy piece of sh*t. My parents did everything they could for Margaret. They got her help in every way imaginable from professional help to pharmaceutical help. We did everything we could for her. No one or two factors can be accounted for this tragedy and I pitty you for trying to make your self feel better by blaming my parents. You would be lucky in life to be an eight of what my parents are. My parents could not have children so they adopted both my sister and I. Her birth mother was a druggie and an alcoholic. So before you pass judgement to things and people you know nothing about please think next time.
Oh and by the way my parents don't have to worry about me. They did a perfect job raising me and I thank god everyday that I have been so lucky to be in their care.

[Was a Suicide]

Sam Flora wrote:

<quoted text>
F**k you, you lousy piece of sh*t. My parents did everything they could for Margaret. They got her help in every way imaginable from professional help to pharmaceutical help. We did everything we could for her. No one or two factors can be accounted for this tragedy and I pitty you for trying to make your self feel better by blaming my parents. You would be lucky in life to be an eight of what my parents are. My parents could not have children so they adopted both my sister and I. Her birth mother was a druggie and an alcoholic. So before you pass judgement to things and people you know nothing about please think next time.
Oh and by the way my parents don't have to worry about me. They did a perfect job raising me and I thank god everyday that I have been so lucky to be in their care.

Please don't turn to drugs and/or self destruction due to your bitterness of being an unwanted kid.

[Chicago]

To Maggie's family from someone who has never met any of you. I came upon this because my niece went to the same school as Maggie. Just wanted to say that my heart goes out to you all and I hope that you will find peace and know that none of you are to blame. Sam, keep that self-respect and conviction that you have and never let anyone tell you otherwise!

[Mom in Grapevine]

Aubrey, TX

Was a Suicide wrote:

<quoted text>
Please don't turn to drugs and/or self destruction due to your bitterness of being an unwanted kid.

What is wrong with you? Don't you have any compassion or humanity? This was someones daughter, someones sister. Have some respect. You are the one that obviously has the mental problem. You seem pretty bitter, are you jealous because you live in shi$$y a$$ Aubrey, TX and can't afford Southlake? Obviously Sam knows more about the situation than you do and expressed himself quite well. Way to go Sam! Why don't you take your asinine opinions back to Aubrey.

[lonely in Gvine]

Hey Was a Suicide we should hang out. I really appreciate your pessimistic out look on life and your desire to correct the ills of the world through a faceless internet forum. We are kindred spirits. Maybe you wold like to join me in posting hate mail to people suffering from AIDS.

ps I love you

[sus]

Cannot believe my eyes wrote:

<quoted text>
Wow. Are you the perfect parent? Or are you a parent? I AM NOT judging you, just observing that you could demonstrate more compassion. Have you ever had somemone severely depressed in your family, to the point that no one or nothing could help them? Not years and years of therapy and medication, many doctors, so much love, prayer... nothing. Sounds like you have never experienced anything traumatic in your life, and if you did, you learned nothing from it. If you haven't, you will, and perhaps then you will gain compassion for others. Sometimes, parents can be the best possible parents and this still happens. This is not "glorifying" suicide, what a ridiculous statement. This is having a heart for the parents and Maggie. Have you walked in any of their shoes? Didn't think so. She was obviously very sick and very sad and blaming her or her parents is cruel. My Bible talks about many things that we don't fully understand here, but I know it is not our place to make a judgment on someone's life. A sin is a sin. Are you any better? I believe God meets us all in that final moment and gives each one of us a final opportunity to repent and for that we should ALL be grateful. Even better, though, live a life of compassion, empathy, gratitude and have a servant heart toward others and He will show you favor here on earth also. It is very sad that she crossed a line in her despair and could not find her way back and it is very sad that another human would make the statements you have made about her or her parents. Using the word stupid is just so tactless.
I will not be "arguing" or making any more statements here with you, it is disrespectful to her family. You may know what the Bible says about suicide but do you live in the Word of the Bible? Do you practice forgiveness and mercy toward others? Not a judgement...just a question.
Again, I will not be responding to your brash remarks any more here. I doubt anyone can change the way you think, I've seen your posts on several other articles, Aubrey Texas.

Yes, Ms. Aubry has been on several posts, I guess she has nothing better to do. My son passed away a few years ago and she posted negative things about him. She did not even know him. God will be the final Judge in the end.

[Alexander from Southlake]

What has happened to compasion and care for others... by no means should anyone ever talk in such a negetive mannor on such a serious level. To the Aubrey idiot, you need to get yourself a life and start looking out for you instead of bothering yourself with others lives. To the family and brother of the young lady, you have my prayers and my support. I hope no one finds blame put upon them in this situation because their shoudnt be. God Bless and

[Sam Flora]

Ms. Aubry your hatred and spite for an entire family that you do not know or have never met astounds me. I cannot believe that a person can be so caustic and negitive to a family that has gone through a living hell. Just because you can't be held accountable for your outlandish opinions doesn't me you should voice them. I hope you never have to endure a similar tragedy in your own life. But if you do I can assure you that I will not pass judgement on you as you have to me.

thank you to all of you especially those who have had kind words to say.

[kingstons friend]

were there any obvious warning signs?

i was in a relationship with another parent who's son went to carroll high school and hung himself 2+ years ago in grapevine......the warning signs were there and his father would not address these issues that were so obvious to me......he needed help and the only answer i got was that he was an "adult".....21 years old.......he was upset because his girlfriend had broken up with him and she was a senior at carroll at the time....she had a new boyfriend a few weeks later......
there were other issues too....divorce of parents, wouldn't go to college that was paid for, numerous cars, motorcycles, money handed to him, wanting more and more, etc......he constantly wanted his fathers attention which wasn't there and i felt so sorry for him......his father and mother were so devistated......and still are......as for me i am no longer in a relationship with the father....we couldn't keep it glued together due to his son's actions......it affected me too.....

please pay attention to your children in a way that is positive, firm and responsible......i am sad for maggie's family.........take care........

[Grew up there]

I have been following this story since Maggie passed. I didn't know her, but I grew up in Southlake. I have also googled her family because I am so intrigued by her story (and remember what it was like to feel suicidal as a teen in Southlake).

From what I can tell her parents are wonderful people who went out of their way to help their children and others. Her father left a lucrative career to teach poor kids at a HS in Fort Worth. The mother has a law degree and taught at Carroll. They adopted their two children and gave back to the community. They even created a foundation at their alma mater. Obviously I wasn't in their home, but considering what here brother stated here, they appear to be wonderful people.

I hated growing up in Southlake, but there are a lot of good people there. There are nasty people everywhere (especially in AUbrey, Tx-what is in the water there?).

Sometimes people are SICK, it happens, it sucks. Sam, I am so sorry to your family. Maggie seemed to be an amazing girl. Best wishes.