Father of girl who killed self feels intimidated

FAIRFIELD TWP. – The father of the Fairfield school girl who killed herself claims police and a school official later came to his home, leaving him so intimidated he insisted they leave.

Marc Olsen of Fairfield Township said local police and an administrator from his deceased daughter's middle school arrived together at his Butler County home Tuesday.

Olsen's adopted daughter, Emilie Grace Olsen, shot herself in the head last week in her bedroom of their home. Her father has publicly blamed racial bullying of his Chinese-born daughter as a factor in her suicide.

He has also criticized Fairfield school officials for their past handling of his complaints of classmates' physical and online bullying of the 13-year-old, Fairfield Middle School student when she was in elementary school.

School officials, however, said there is no record of Emilie complaining of bullying at school.

But Fairfield Township Police and school officials reiterated Wednesday that so far in their investigation they have found no significant information that backs the father's claims. Moreover, Emilie left no suicide note.

The story and its racial allegations has rocketed across social media and The Enquirer's reporting has been cited by news media nationwide and in the United Kingdom.

Olsen described the visit as leaving him "feeling intimidated" to the point that he asked the police and school official to leave.

"I opened my door and there are police officers showing me their badges and a school administrator. They could have just called me," said Olsen, who with his wife adopted Emilie from China in 2002.

Fairfield Township Police Chief Matt Fruchey Wednesday described the girl's tragic story and alleged racial overtones as becoming "a social media feeding frenzy."

But Fruchey said the appearance of both his officers and a school official arriving at the home at the same time was merely coincidental. The investigating officers wanted to further question Emilie's parents as part of their investigation in helping them understand what might have transpired prior to the suicide.

"They were there to get more information, but the parents are feeling so victimized at this point that if they did feel that way (intimidated) it was completely unintentional and we deeply apologize," said Fruchey.

Fairfield School officials said the visit by an administrator was to return the contents of Emilie's school locker.

"In no uncertain terms was the principal's presence in the home meant as intimidation but only to deliver her belongings," said Gina Gentry-Fletcher, spokeswoman for the schools.

On Wednesday Olsen declined to comment further on the visit or his earlier accusations, saying he is only seeking answers explaining his daughter's death.

Nationally recognized anti-bullying expert Jim Bisenius, who in past years has provided seminars to Fairfield Schools in bullying prevention, said if the accusations of racially bullying are proved true, it may or may not explain the young girl's fatal decision.

"It's often so much more than one factor," he said.

"Schools usually take racial bullying very seriously," said Bisenius. "The only thing that I found significant was that no note was left by the girl. This makes the reasons for her action even more of a mystery."

"My heart goes out to the family," he said.