NEWS

Dover teen's death mourned by community

Counseling offered after passing of 14-year-old freshman

Kyle Stucker
kstucker@seacoastonline.com
Dover High School officials are providing counseling services after the death of a 14-year-old freshman. [John Huff/Fosters.com, file]

DOVER — Students, school staff and community members are mourning a 14-year-old boy who took his own life in his Cottonwood Drive home, according to Superintendent of Schools William Harbron.

Members of the Dover police and fire and rescue departments responded to the boy’s residence at approximately 6:07 a.m. Thursday after family members found him unresponsive, according to a statement released by police.

Police said the boy, identified in the statement as Dover High School freshman Brian Schultz, was found to be deceased.

Police say Schultz’s death doesn’t appear to be the result of foul play. Harbron described Schultz’s death as a suicide.

The medical examiner will confirm the cause and manner of death based on evidence and information gathered at the scene, Dover police Lt. Brant Dolleman said. He said the medical examiner has decided there will not be an autopsy, which he said the office typically determines when it feels confident it already has the information needed to determine the cause of death.

The Dover School District and its counselors are partnering with several outside organizations to provide assistance and support to students and staff in the high school and Dover Middle School, according to Harbron. They include Community Partners, New Hampshire Behavioral Health, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Harborn said assistance is being provided in both schools because Schultz has a younger sibling, because of the close-knit nature of the school community, and because Schultz’s death comes less than a week after a middle school student accidentally drowned after falling through ice atop the Bellamy River.

Harbron described Schultz’s death as a tragedy and expressed heartfelt sympathy to Schultz's family and everyone affected by his death.

He said he is aware that residents of the “very close-knit neighborhood” surrounding Cottonwood Drive are already providing support to Schultz’s family, for which he said he’s grateful and proud.

“I think that’s something that’s very, very strong about Dover when there is something like this,” said Harbron. “I’m continually impressed by how people reach out to help people.”

If you need help

If local students or parents need assistance, Harbron said counselors at DHS can be reached by calling 516-6915 and counselors at DMS can be reached by calling 516-7207.

The district has also posted information from NAMI and the Dougy Center about ways to support children after the traumatic loss of a friend. That information can be found at bit.ly/DoverGriefSupport.

If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7/365 at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Local experts ask that you please reach out and get support.

Community Partners’ 24-hour emergency services line is available at 516-9300.

Also available is the Crisis Text Line. Individuals can text 741741 from anywhere in the United States to connect with a trained crisis counselor.

For more resources, visit TheConnectProgram.org, sprc.org/states/new-hampshire, mentalhealth.gov and samhsa.gov.