After death of Del. student, classmates, staff speak out

WILMINGTON, DE (WTXF) - Huddled in prayer students consoled one another outside of Howard High School of Technology one morning after one of their classmates, 16-year-old Amy Francis-Joyner, was beaten and killed inside of a school bathroom Students stopped by a growing memorial to place stuffed animals and other trinkets in honor of their friend.

On Friday, students wore white to honor Amy, including 18-year-old Kiyshawna Lloyd. Lloyd was a dental tech major at the school along with Amy, and she spoke to FOX 29's Steve Keeley about the incident.

"This generation I am in is an absolute disgrace," Lloyd explained.

The school's principal could be heard over the school's PA system the following day asking his students and staff to not let "this define Howard High School."

High school senior, Jasmine, says she was like a big sister to Amy and often shared advice on how to deal with high school drama.

"I was just talking with her about this kind of stuff - dealing with females and jealousy and telling her don't worry about that don't worry about nobody just worry about yourself," she told FOX 29.

READ MORE: Cops: Girl, 16, dies following assault at Wilmington, Del. school

On Thursday night, Amy's father Sonny Francis spoke out.

"I think this is a dream and I'm trying to wake up," father Sonny Francis, "All I know is my daughter is gone. She was the love of my life and it hurts."

Francis says his daughter was a great student and a loving teenager who was into fashion and was very close with her family, especially her mother who dropped her off at school this morning not knowing she would never see Amy again. Francis said there was no indication that anything bad was going on in her life. This tragedy comes with many questions.

"I thought schools were a safe place. You drop your kids off and would come home after school apparently that's not the case with some schools now children are just out of control," he said.

Questions about why and how Amy died remain unanswered. Police said they were interviewing several students about the deadly beating and have not revealed any details about a possible motive. Francis says he's cooperating with police and can't comment on the investigation itself except to say this should not have happened.

Classes were canceled at the school Friday.