College student, 18, is charged with helping his ‘charismatic and witty’ girlfriend, 17, kill herself as teen’s grieving mother says her daughter suffered from depression and warns other parents ‘you might not get that tomorrow’

An 18-year-old Texas college student is accused of encouraging his “charismatic and witty” girlfriend to commit suicide, which she did in November 2023 in Frisco, Texas, just outside Dallas.

Ellyse Suarez, 17, was found dead in a pond at a popular park on November 20. Her cause of death has not been made public. This week, her on-off-again boyfriend Zander Tashman was arrested in connection with her death.

In a heartbreaking new interview, Suarez’s mother, Azucena Massey, said NBC Dallas-Fort Worth that her daughter and Tashman were close. Massey said she was unaware of his alleged involvement in the death until police investigators came to her home and told her.

“It’s scary in a way because I wonder, do I even want to know? Will it make me even angrier? Because I don’t want to get angry when I think about my daughter,” Massey said. The grieving mother said she knew her daughter was struggling with depression around the time of her death.

Massey warned parents to take their children’s mental health seriously because “that may not happen tomorrow.” She said she had gotten professional help for her daughter before her death, but it was apparently too late.

Her on-again, off-again boyfriend Zander Tashman, 18, is an honor roll student at Collin College. His family lawyer reacted angrily to the charges against him

Suarez was found here, in Frisco Commons Park. Police have not released her cause of death

In a heartbreaking obituary, Suarez was described as someone who was “strong in her own beliefs and would never leave anyone behind or alone.”

“She was never afraid to speak her mind, especially when she felt others needed a voice, and was often the first to stand up for others and defend what was right.”

Ellyse had a dark sense of humor, which added to her uniqueness, and sarcasm was like a second language,” the tribute continues.

The obituary talks about her love of playing cards, something she made friends with, her love for animals and her kindness.

Her beloved four-year-old bull terrier Mexi died shortly before her death.

Her funeral took place on December 1, she would have turned 18 on January 1.

Despite knowing about her depression, Massey said she didn’t understand what her child was going through.

‘I don’t think I understood it at all. I didn’t understand her reasoning for sadness. I didn’t understand her reasoning for why she was depressed,” Massey said.

During that interview, Massey said she knew Tashman and her daughter spoke in the period before her death.

“(The relationship) was something that was very meaningful to her. “Something she wanted to figure out so badly that maybe she made decisions that she wouldn’t have made on a normal day,” she said.

Massey also had a message for those with children who are struggling with their mental health.

“Don’t think you’re going to talk about it and have a conversation and think everything will be fine tomorrow. You might not get that tomorrow.’

Suarez’s mother said her daughter came to her before her death and said she was suffering from depression

Suarez’s mother, Azucena Massey, is still so sad that she didn’t want her face to be seen on television during a recent interview

“She was never afraid to speak her mind, especially when she felt others needed a voice, and was often the first to stand up for others and defend what was right,” Suarez’s obituary said.

Tashman was arrested Sunday and faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

According to Tashman’s LinkedIn page, he is a student at Collin College in Frisco, where he will graduate in 2025. In January 2024, he was named to the school’s honor roll, with a 4.0 grade point average.

If convicted of a role in Suarez’s death, Tashman faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

In a statement to NBC DFW, his attorney, Reynie Tinajero, lashed out at authorities.

“Zander and his family also wish this terrible tragedy had never happened. I’m sorry that the authorities made a poor and probably emotional choice to blame Zander, and to do so in a public way. We will argue our case in a court of law.”

‘Zander is an exemplary student with no history of criminal behavior. Zander is innocent,” the lawyer said.

Suarez’s body was found in Frisco Commons Park, prompting an “exhaustive investigation” that resulted in Tashman’s arrest, Frisco police said.

Tashman was taken into custody Sunday and held on $10,000 bond.

• If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org.