The grieving family of an 18-year-old who fell to his death from a roof during his school's Year 12 formal has broken its silence, inviting friends and the local community to join them in remembering a life cut tragically short.
A Community in Mourning
Joshua Kai Belden plunged to his death in front of approximately 20 classmates during Wellington Point State High School's end-of-year celebration in Brisbane. The harrowing incident occurred on November 18 at a venue in the city's eastern suburbs, where emergency services were swiftly called to the scene.
On Wednesday, Joshua's mother, Allison Cox, confirmed her son was the victim and posted a moving tribute on a local Facebook page. Ms Cox described how Joshua had lived his whole life within the community and extended an open invitation to his funeral service.
A Celebration in Colour
The funeral for Joshua Kai Belden will be held at the Redlands Christian Reformed Church on December 15. In a poignant request, his family has asked attendees to forego traditional black attire. "This is a celebration of Josh's life - we ask you to wear colour," Ms Cox stated.
She encouraged people to "come with your happiness and wonderful memories of him," adding, "Please join us for the service followed by an afternoon tea to laugh and cry together." The online invitation featured a picture of Joshua posing in a leather jacket, blue jeans, and a white shirt against a bright green background.
School's Response Sparks Controversy
In the days following the tragedy, school officials issued a letter to parents, which was later obtained by the Daily Mail. The correspondence asked parents to discourage their children from posting tributes or comments about the incident on social media platforms.
"We ask that you encourage your child not to share or comment on social media about this incident," the letter read, citing a desire to maintain privacy for the family and avoid the spread of information online. One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, accused the school of attempting to cover up the incident.
Meanwhile, the school's official social media pages and local newspapers continued to publish photographs from the Year 12 formal without any mention of the tragedy. Graduation photos were still being uploaded to the school's Facebook page almost a week later.
One poignant image, taken before the incident, showed a 'Class of 2025' t-shirt featuring drawings by the students. Joshua's name was clearly visible next to one of the hand-drawn illustrations.
Official Investigations and Support
A spokesperson for Queensland Police confirmed that a report is being prepared for the coroner and the death is being treated as non-suspicious. Both the school principal, Robyn Burton-Ree, and Queensland's Department of Education declined to comment when approached.
The school's letter assured families that support services would be available for students "for as long as it is required." For others affected by this story, confidential crisis support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
