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Young woman checking phone in bunk bed, roommate sleeping in the other bed

Source: Klaus Vedfelt / Getty

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve definitely read or heard about the Black University of Hartford freshman who was poisoned by her white roommate.

It’s truly a terrifying story that centers on a Chennel ‘Jazzy’ Rowe who fell victim to Brianna Brochu’s  disgusting antics all because Brochu wanted her to move out. And clearly this is more than just a story of two young women who couldn’t get along under one roof.

Here’s what you need to know about this brave young woman, what happened to her and how she fought back.

  • Chennel was getting sick A LOT and had no idea what was going on:

While many of the news stories focus on Brochu and how she rubbed used tampons on Chennel’s bag and did all kinds of of other nasty mess, it’s important to point out just how sick Chennel got as a result of being poisoned. She was literally ill for months and had no idea why!

“While I’ve been here, I’ve been getting sick. Not knowing why, I’ve been getting sick. It started with throat pain. I thought maybe because it’s colder up here, I’m just probably catching a cold,” Chennel said.

She added: “The sore throat pain got worse and it was just throat pain. And this was happening for about a month. It got to the point where I had extreme throat pain where I couldn’t sleep, to the point where I couldn’t speak. Like I’d try to whisper, and I could barely whisper.”

Chennel says she was given antibiotics after going to a health clinic for evaluation and testing. All of her tests came back negative, but found that there was a “bacteria” growing in her throat.

HORRIBLE!

  • According to Chennel, school officials tried to silence her:

Can you imagine seeing that your roommate posted the following on her Instagram page:

“Finally did it yo girl got rid of her roommate!! After 1 ½ month of spitting in her coconut oil, putting moldy clam dip in her lotions… putting her toothbrush places where the sun doesn’t shine, and so much more I can finally say goodbye Jamaican Barbie.”

And now imagine going to university officials with this evidence, telling them what happened to you and their response is that if YOU publicly talk about being tormented, you will be won’t allowed to live on campus anymore! According to Chennel, this what exactly what she was told.

And she’s clear: Race played a factor in how the situation was handled.

“The fact I’m Black and my old roommate is white, if the roles was switched, I want to know if it would be handled the same way?” Chennel said.

She added: “I damn well know it wouldn’t. … I feel like me as a black person and her being a white person, if I’m the woman who committed all these crimes, this would’ve been completely different. … There were so many crimes committed, that she openly posted. … I would’ve been locked up already, they would have had no hesitation, cuffed me and taken me away. I’m just so aggravated.”

  • Thankfully, she refused to just sit back and be quiet:

Risking it all, but fed up with how she was being treated, Chennel recently posted this lengthy video to explain her side of the story and blow up her school’s spot.

“Colleges are known to just sweep issues that happen within the campus under the rug, making the issue disappear and not doing anything about it. Now this isn’t right at all and this is where the public gets involved to push for things to be done right. I’m not holding my tongue any longer about my situation because this is just ridiculous to hear nothing back from my school about this situation,” she wrote.

“As a African American woman I have to fight for myself and others to not become some statistic.”

She also filed a police report against Brochu, which prompted her ex-roommate’s arrest!

  • There’s a trending hashtag showing Chennel our support:

Ever since the news hit of her horrific ordeal, the hashtag #JusticeForJazzy has been trending.

  • Brochu has been expelled and charged with a hate crime:

Since news hit of her arrest, there have been some new developments to this case. First, Brochu has been expelled from school!

In a press statement, University President Greg Woodward said Brochu’s conduct was “reprehensible’’ and she “is no longer a student at the University of Hartford. She will not be returning to the institution.”

That, and Brochu has been charged with a hate crime!

The Hartford Courier wrote that West Hartford police requested the charge of intimidation based on bigotry or bias be added to Brochu’s breach of peace and criminal mischief case, police said Wednesday.

***

No one should be treated like this and we want for Chennel to know that we have her back! #JusticeForJazzy

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#JusticeForJazzy: Five Things To Know About Chennel ‘Jazzy’ Rowe  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com