Hamptons Nonprofit Pushes for Teen Suicide Prevention Law, Offers Free Therapy for LGBTQ+ Youth

A law introduced in the New York State Legislature would add a felony penalty when a child accesses a negligently stored firearm, causing death or serious injury — and this East End-based suicide prevention and LGBTQ+ advocacy group is urging lawmakers to pass the bill. Francesco’s Foundation, a Water Mill-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to use evidence, compassion and policy change to address the root causes of teen suicide and assist LGBTQ+ youth, was founded in 2023 by Diana Cochran and her now partner Jennifer Allsop in the aftermath of the death of Cochran’s 17-year-old son Francesco. “He really was a dream of a child,” said Cochran, who was advocating for the passage of the felony penalty outside of the state capitol with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America on April 29. “He was very loved, and his future was full of promise, talent and light.” Francesco died on Oct. 21, 2021, by suicide on Little Plains Beach in Southampton, after accessing an unsecured shotgun at his other parent’s home. That day, Francesco had consumed huge amounts of alcohol after being relentlessly bullied and ridiculed about his sexual orientation online and at school. Police discovered Francesco on the beach at 2 a.m. after receiving calls from his Stony Brook Prep peers. His friends knew he had possession of the shotgun, but by the time they contacted an adult, it was too late, according to Cochran. Francesco’s Foundation seeks to prevent similar tragedies through education, advocacy, and action. It focuses on safe firearm storage laws, LGBTQ-inclusive action, and anti-cyberbullying programs. The foundation additionally offers free therapy for LGBTQ youth on Long Island. Cochran and Allsop are also advocating for Francesco’s Law – which would strengthen the state’s current Child Access Prevention Law – that requires gun owners to secure their firearms in a safe storage depository, especially if the owner lives with minors or knows they could gain access, according to Giffords Law Group. The foundation is working closely with legislators and other gun safety organizations to amplify the importance of adding a felony penalty to this law, especially in vulnerable communities. The law is currently in the assembly committee, and has advanced to an on floor calendar vote in the senate. Before his death, Francesco was a brilliant young man who had a great curiosity about life, according to Cochran. From an early age, he excelled, having been accepted into the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, performing with them twice at Carnegie Hall and once at Lincoln Center. At 15, he took the entrance exam for Winchester College in the United Kingdom and was one of the 12 international students accepted into the boarding school out of 1,000 applicants. After the pandemic started, he returned to his old school in Stony Brook. He was known for his sense of humor at school and was notorious for wearing outlandish outfits to its events. Francesco’s Foundation was born of heartbreak – but the nonprofit is driven by a commitment to advocate for gun safety, which is increasingly important as 125 people in the U.S. are killed by gun violence daily, according to Everytown Research and Policy Reports. The foundation is urging New Yorkers to act by contacting their local lawmakers to co-sponsor and pass the respective assembly and senate bills to hold gun owners accountable. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, the 988 Lifeline provides free, 24/7 support. To connect with Francesco’s Foundation, visit francescosfoundation.org.