Morayo Afolabi-Brown
Television host Morayo Afolabi-Brown has cautioned parents against sending emotionally immature teenagers abroad for secondary education, following the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old Ghanaian boy in the United States.
Brown issued the warning while reacting to the d3ath of Javits Frimpong, who was shot while heading to school in the Bronx, New York, on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Reports indicated that the teenager had previously experienced bullying at DreamYard Preparatory School. Frimpong had moved from Ghana to live with his father about a year earlier. He was shot in the abdomen near East 171st Street and Crotona Place and later d!ed at St. Barnabas Hospital.
Drawing from her own experience, Brown recalled attending high school in the United States at the age of 15. She said fellow students targeted her because she was African, placing dirty items in her locker and pushing her during morning sports activities.
“The young Ghanaian boy that was killed in America because he was bullied; it reminded me of when I was in the US at the age of 15. People knew I was from Africa. I was bullied. They used to put dirty things in my locker. They push me down from the stairs because I’m African,” she said.
Brown explained that she did not report the incidents at the time because she was new to the school and wanted to fit in. Some students repeatedly made her feel she did not belong, and the bullying intensified as she prepared for prom.
She advised parents to ensure their children are emotionally mature and properly guided before sending them abroad for high school. “University abroad is fine, but high school can be treacherous,” Brown stated.
The media personality urged parents to maintain regular communication with their children overseas, ask questions about their experiences, friendships and relationships with classmates, and provide the emotional support needed while they adjust to life in a foreign country.
The incident has renewed discussions about the challenges faced by young international students, including cultural adjustment, isolation and bullying, particularly those who relocate at an early age.
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