A Southern Minnesota family and community are grieving over the loss of a 12-year-old Kasson girl. Kaylee Lambright's family is thankful for the outpouring of support they have received these last few days from friends and strangers alike after news of Kaylee's suicide came to light.

The Lambrights are asking the public to honor the memory of their daughter while at the same time respecting their privacy and not speculating about what happened.

Before I go any further, I would like to be upfront and honest about this post. My Digital Managing Editor, Aaron Galloway, knows the Lambright family and we were given permission to share their social media post about their current reality.

The Lambright's aren't alone in their loss. All of Kasson and Southern Minnesota grieve with you.

A GoFundMe account has been created to help the Lambright family pay for Kaylee's funeral. If you would like to donate to help the family out you can do so here.

Kaylee's family will be holding a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 3. You can see more details here. 

The suicide rate among teens is climbing at an alarming rate in recent years, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In 2019 it was the 2nd leading cause of death for Minnesotans age 15-34.

Minnesota Suicide Facts
Click to enlarge (AFSP.org/StateFacts)
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Right now in the Blaine School District 6 students have also completed suicide during the current 2019-2020 school year. It's devasting to hear and read about. One of those parents, Shannon Lee whose 16-year-old daughter died by suicide last week, told KMSP-TV in an interview that "We have to change the world, we have to do something, we have to make things better."

Blaine's Police Chief Brian Podany recently posted a video on social media detailing warning signs and provided conversation starters for worried parents.

"Everyone has a piece of this," said Chief Brian Podany. "No one single entity. I think that’s important to recognize, even though it’s a mental health thing. We have a piece of this in public safety. The schools have a piece of it. The mental health field has a piece of it. We all play a role in trying to take care of our youth."

Much like here in Southern Minnesota, Blaine's Police Chief doesn't want the community finger-pointing and trying to place blame.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there is help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has people available 24-7 to help and to listen to anyone in need. Their number is 800-273-8255.

Click here for information about our community's life-saving mental health resources.

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