WaPo hinted at sexual abuse of Nex Benedict's by teen's father in initial report—Libs of TikTok was blamed for her death anyway

The tragic death of Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict was turned into a political rallying cry by leftist media. Outlets and pundits took the story of a high school fight followed by what was later revealed to be the suicide of a young girl and turned it into a public fight over trans identify, claiming that the student died as a result of bullying over identity. 

However, after a brief mention in a Washington Post report on her death, Red State and independent journalist Jeremy Lee Quinn discovered that Benedict had been molested by her father for year. He is currently in prison for failing to register as a sex offender after he was released from prison. 

Despite this key detail in the teen's story, Libs of TikTok was blamed for her death. 

The Washington Post merely noted the abuse history, saying "Nex’s biological mother was among the mourners; their father, who is in prison for abuse, was not." This detail was not picked up in the mainstream narrative and the Post did not expand on it. 

Benedict's father served time prison after sexual abuse crimes against Benedict, including suspected anal rape, when Benedict was 9 years old. James Everette Hughes was arrested in 2019 and charged with the rape of a minor under 14-years-old, a crime dating back to 2017.  

Hughes was sentenced to sexual assault in the second degree on Nov. 27, 2019, and was given 5 years in prison.   

Benedict told authorities about the incident in 2019, according to criminal reports from investigators, reviewed by Red State. Sue Benedict, the child's grandmother who later went on to adopt Benedict, was cited as a witness in the reports. 

Hughes was ordered to be placed on the sex offenders list and have no contact with his daughter after his release. Once he was released, he was arrested again on Jan. 25, 2024, for failing to register as a sex offender.   

Libs of TikTok was infuriated by the report. She had been mercilessly lambasted by media over Benedict's death, with outlets blaming the account, and account creator Chaya Raichik, for the tragedy. Outlets claimed that because the account calls out and exposes trans activists and advocates against sexually explicit books in schools, she was in some way culpable. 

"Nex’s father r*ped her and m*lested her for years. He was arrested again 2 weeks before she overdosed. WaPo knew this information and still blamed me," Raichick stated. 

Benedict, whose given name was Dagny, was referred to as D.H. in the court documents. Benedict identified as gender fluid and also went by Roach and Roachie, in addition to Nex, according to friends and social media accounts reviewed by Red State.   

Benedict's death was later ruled a suicide. Lethal amounts of drugs were recorded in a toxicology report in Benedict's body at the time of the teen's death. Benedict left notes that were "suggestive of self-harm" as well.