TikTok favorite Dazharia Shaffer took her own life Monday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was 18.
Shaffer’s father, Joseph Santiago, who also goes by the names Raheem Alla and Rodney Andry, confirmed his daughter’s passing in a clip posted to the site that popularized her.
“I just want to thank everyone for their love and support of my daughter,” he wrote beside a montage of photos capturing them together. “Unfortunately she is no longer with us and has gone to a better place.”
Shaffer, who was known as Bxbygirlldee online, had more than 1.4 million followers on TikTok, the video-sharing platform.
On a GoFundMe page that Santiago created Tuesday, he wrote: “On February 8th my daughter dazharia has left us early and have been call up to fly with the angels. She was my little best friend and I wasn’t prepared in no way, to bury my child. She was so happy, and would be so excited to see me when I come home from being on the road.”
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“I only wish she would have spoken to me about her stress and the thoughts of suicide,” he continued. “We could work thru this. I only want to hold you again my little jelly bean. Now I come home and your no longer gonna be there waiting for me. I have to let you fly with the angels. Daddy love you.”
The fund has a $15,000 goal to cover Dazharia’s funeral expenses. Nearly a quarter of it had been reached by early Thursday.
The teenager’s mother, Jennifer Shaffer, also confirmed her daughter’s passing on Facebook, posting “I’m so heartbroken I really can’t believe you’re going. I wish I was waiting on you to say it was a prank but it’s not I wishing could have died instead of u …rip my angel. Everyone talks about our bad times but never talk about the good times #babygirldee.”
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The family has not commented on Shaffer’s mental health status; however, the teenager shared several videos on Instagram titled “Last post” the day before her suicide. Her cause of death is unknown.
Fans of the young woman commented that she had a “beautiful spirit” and hoped that she is “in a better place now.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline immediately at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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