Ahead of the song’s official release, Heather posted a clip and wrote on Facebook, “For my beautiful baby!! One amazing soul!! Thank you Khloe Grace Music for using your gift to bring some joy into our lives! This song is so so amazing!! Khloe, you are talented !!”
Aubreigh died on September 4, 2023, when she was just 13 years old. Scroll down to learn more about her death and the legal issues her mother has faced in the years since.
Who was Aubreigh Wyatt?
At the time of her death, Aubreigh was an 8th-grade student at Ocean Springs Middle School in Mississippi.
“Aubreigh was a straight-A student, an amazing daughter, sister, and friend,” according to her obituary. “She loved the beach, her friends, gymnastics, riding four-wheelers, and making TikToks. Aubreigh was well known and loved in the community, especially for her outgoing and bubbly personality.”
The obit noted that she was survived by her mother, Heather, a sister, Taylor, brother, Ryker, and grandfather. A funeral for the teenager was held on September 10, 2023.
Aubreigh’s TikTok page is still active. There are five videos posted throughout 2023 on her page.
What happened to Aubreigh Wyatt?
Aubreigh died by suicide. Following her death, Heather used social media platforms to advocate for mental health and bullying awareness, claiming that Aubreigh was cyber-bullied by classmates at her middle school before she died, per Newsweek.
Why was Aubreigh Wyatt’s mom Heather sued?
Heather did not name her daughter’s alleged bullies in her social media posts, but online sleuths eventually uncovered who they thought she was referring to. When internet users began revealing the four girls’ personal information online, their parents sued Heather for defamation and slander in July 2024.
In their complaint, the parents stated, “As a direct and proximate cause of the false, defamatory, and slanderous social media posts of the defendant, Heather Wyatt, the plaintiffs’ minor children have been receiving insulting and revolting messages from around the world attacking them, calling them vulgar names, sexualizing them.” The parents also claimed that the bullying accusations against the teenagers were determined to be “unsubstantiated” by police.
A judge ordered Heather to shut down her social media accounts. Supporters rallied behind her, with many donating to a GoFundMe to help pay her legal bills, as the hashtag #JusticeForAubreigh went viral on TikTok.
Just days after filing their lawsuit against Heather, the other parents dropped their lawsuit, Vicksburg News confirmed. On July 18, 2024, the social media ban against Heather was lifted, Sun Herald reported.
Who is Aubreigh Wyatt’s mom Heather’s lawsuit against?
In February 2025, the Sun Herald reported that Heather filed her own lawsuit against the Ocean Springs School District. In her wrongful-death lawsuit, Heather claimed that Aubreigh was bullied for four years, both in and out of school, before her death.
Heather accused the school district, superintendent, and school board of “negligence, and violating state and federal laws aimed at protecting students from sexual assault and bullying,” per the Sun Herald.
As she explained it in her filing, “The bullying included, but was not limited to, verbal abuse, threats, humiliation, cyberbullying, physical altercations/assault, sexual assault, being punched in the face on two occasions and social exclusion.” She claims that Aubreigh reported the bullying to school officials, but nothing was done.
Heather said the alleged bullying against her daughter would get “worse” when she brought her issues to administrators. She said the alleged bullying started at sleepovers when Aubreigh and her classmates were in fifth grade. Heather included text messages as evidence in her lawsuit, including one message that was allegedly written by Aubreigh and said, “I truly become so suicidal during the school year. I just want to be happy. I don’t want it to be like how it is. I know it’s hard on you. That is why I try not to say anything about it, but it’s truly draining.”
At the time of Heather’s filing, the school district said in a statement, “While OSSD is unable to discuss specific student matters, the district follows rigorous procedures in response to all reports of inappropriate behavior, harassment, or bullying. Administrators conduct thorough investigations, and if the evidence supports the allegations, appropriate consequences are determined in accordance with district policies. Throughout this process, parents and students are kept informed of developments, and documentation of our procedures are maintained for records. Students and parents can submit anonymous bullying reports both online and in person.”
It continued, “Despite misinformation being spread on social media, our administrators have been and will remain committed to addressing all reported incidents with integrity and dedication to the well-being of our students. OSSD strongly encourages students and parents to report any instance of bullying or harassment directly to school administration by submitting an online bullying report or by contacting their student’s school. OSSD is steadfast in its commitment to providing a healthy learning environment and meeting the needs of all our students and staff. This is achieved through the many dedicated educators and strong partnerships with agencies and community partners.”
Why did Khloe Grace write a song about Aubreigh Wyatt?
As Aubreigh’s story circulated on social media, it caught the attention of fellow teenager Khloe, who penned the song “Forever 13” about the girl she’d never even met.
“I just felt it so deep in my heart to write this song,” Khloe said in a 2025 interview with a local news station. In a Facebook post, Khloe further explained, “Her story really touched me and I hope this song helps others facing the same thing Aubreigh did.” She also said she wanted to bring “awareness” to Aubreigh’s story.
“Forever 13” includes lyrics, “She was only 13, had some big dreams, and you took ’em all away,” and, “A young girl had to lose her life so that you could feel somewhat satisfied.” There’s also a reference to Heather when Khloe sings, “I’ve never felt that kind of pain, but I can’t imagine how it feels, to be a mom and lose her daughter, it must feel so surreal.”
Heather honored her daughter on the season 24 premiere of American Idol
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Heather continued remembering Aubreigh while appearing on the season 24 premiere of American Idol on Jan. 26. During the auditions episode, Heather introduced 15-year-old singer-songwriter Grace, who wrote a song dedicated to Aubreigh.
“I am not a contestant. My name is Heather Wyatt. I’m here to introduce Khloe Grace. Khloe is a young girl, who about a year ago, wrote and performed a song in honor of my daughter, Aubreigh, that we lost to suicide in 2023,” Heather told judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
Grace explained to the judges that she’d be singing her original song, “13 Forever.”
“Something kept telling me to write that song, so I did,” she shared. “I’ve never met her. I couldn’t [get the story out of my mind] and it did just relate … I felt that so much in my heart to write this song [and] I went through some of the things Aubreigh went through, and it was really hard. So I was like, if I could write something that could just very small help someone, then it’s totally worth me writing this song.”
Heather added that she heard Grace perform the song for the first time on TikTok and “immediately cried” about how the lyrics “reflected what Aubreigh had gone through.”
“Aubreigh is my forever 13-year-old daughter,” Heather said. “She is bright, beautiful, talented, and she endured years of bullying, social media pressures and took her life Sept. 4, 2023. Just very unexpected.”
Grace’s song brought all the judges to tears and earned her a unanimous vote to move on to the next round of competition.
“The maturity you possess is quite incredible,” Underwood told the singer. “The way you had your heart broken for someone you didn’t even know and take that and basically say that something positive is going to come out of it. And think about all the people who hear that and see your story and change their mind. It’s pretty incredible.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
