The late Jo’Vianni Smith

A teenage girl in California killed herself after she reportedly struggled to cope with the state’s stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

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Jo’Vianni Smith, 15, of Stockton, was found dead inside her home after she hanged herself last week. 

A coach at Jo’Vianni’s school, Bear Creek High School, told Recordnet that “the cause of death reportedly was due to the stresses and pressures from coping with the self-isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”  

Her mother, Danielle Hunt, is devastated. 

“We can’t think that our kids are OK just because … I felt that I was doing all that I could as a parent to leave the communication open,” Hunt told Fox 40, adding that Jo’Vianni did not leave a note behind.   

Hunt described her daughter as ‘bubbly,’ ‘loving,’ and the light of her world.

“It’s like, how do you explain a girl like her? If you met her one time, like, she made an impact in your life,” she said. 

Jo’Vianni, a sophomore this year, was also a stellar student athlete who played softball, basketball and played music.

One of Jo’Vianni’s former softball coaches shared a heartbreaking note after he learned of her death.

“Her name is Jo’Vianni ‘Jo’ SmithJo was a great athlete… [she] was a bright star with a great personality and a huge heart. and a bright future,” he told Extra Inning Softball.  

“It’s been extremely hard to relate to what these kids are going through. I have daily conversations with my 2 high schoolers and encourage them to reach out to their friends and teammates. I can’t imagine what Jo was going through…”

Family and friends of Jo’Vianni took to social media to share sweet tributes after news of her passing reached the community. Bear Creek athletics said Jo’Vianni was known for her ‘joyful spirit.’