Death Toll For Internet Teen Suicides Hits 17
After the body of a teenage girl was found hanging in the woods of a Welsh village last Tuesday, media attention is once again focused on the only thing seeming to link the suicides together -- the Internet.
When the body of Jenna Parry was found, it marked the 17th young suicide in just over a year near the town of Bridgend, South Wales (pictured, above). Though no evidence has been found of a suicide pact (or any sort of "cult" responsible for the series of deaths), nearly all of the victims used a social networking Web site -- similar to MySpace and the like -- called Bebo, that's popular with young British children.
The string of deaths began with Dale Crole, an 18-year-old who hanged himself at an abandoned warehouse on Jan. 5, 2007. His friend David Dilling, 19, took police to the scene. Then, just a few weeks later, Dilling died the same way. A week later the boys' friend Thomas Davies, 20, hanged himself in a local park. And so it has continued.
The Internet has been a recurring theme in the hangings. Most (possibly all) of the victims were members of Bebo, and many of them posted messages on the public memorial pages of those who preceded them in suicide.
"I'm sure they all knew each other," Ferdinand, 14, who lives near Parry's house, told Newsweek. "I knew six of them myself. I've been on some of their personal pages on Bebo, and they were talking about 'I don't think I can cope with it,' and 'I'm going to end it.' I didn't think they'd really do it."
As we reported earlier this year, it's believed by some that the friends were all trying to gain notoriety with their own memorial pages.
Sad to say, but the Internet has long been a breeding ground for group suicides -- just three years ago, an Oregon man was arrested for organizing a mass suicide pact -- but this is the first time that such trends have hit the social-networking space. Given that Facebook employees seem to have the ability to see whose profiles you've looked at, or keep personal profiles after they're deleted, it would follow that at least this lack of privacy would help catch potential suicides in their tracks before anything tragic occurs.
From CNN
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Imbored @ Mar 11th 2008 8:13PM
That's really sad, it's hard to believe that it really happened. too sad.
javah @ Mar 11th 2008 8:20PM
I dont think its suicide.. looks like murders to me.
hry @ Mar 11th 2008 8:22PM
l meant serial murders
Jeanne @ Mar 11th 2008 8:24PM
The way AOL markets the article blaming the internet for their deaths is highly misleading. It's tragic that the teens commited suicide, but I highly doubt the internet was to blame for it. It was simply their last cry for help in posting their desperation on their pages. Saying that all the teens used the internet is a clue to why they're dying is like saying the fact they all wore shirts is a clue. These days just about everyone uses such personal webpages. I hope they find the reason for this rash of suicides though.
J @ Mar 11th 2008 8:29PM
Oh yes obvious reason is to blame the internet. If a site is popular of course people are going to use it. Doesn't mean its linked to suicide. Come on people wake up. Find out what grades were like, were these people teased did the parents see any warning signs. The net and myspace facebook bebo or any other popular internet blogging site is not to blame
MetalGeerGIrl @ Mar 11th 2008 8:29PM
Personally, I think it's ridiculous to think that an internet website is responsible for the suicides of these people. It seems that they all knew each other, and by one of then commiting suicide, it in turn caused a chain reaction because they all cared about each other deeply. Blaming it on a networking website seems rather juvenial.
logicalguy @ Mar 11th 2008 8:38PM
I am never never never surprised by the extent of people's stupidity. It may sound cold but this world is a hard place and it has a way of weeding out alot of weak dodos who fall prey to all sorts of dumb dangerous stuff. If they were stupid enough to hang themselves when they were young and should be enjoying their youth..well guess it was meant to be...I can understand if they saw the movie ONCE and then went and hung themselves.. the music alone from that movie could make anyone suicidal
undrgrndgirl @ Mar 11th 2008 8:44PM
yeah, i agree...sounds like a serial murderer...
Carolyn Bond @ Mar 11th 2008 8:50PM
These young people had mental problems and it was the motivation behind their killing themselves. Of course they didn't get better, dwelling on the internet about the death of their friend. Almost always, the person who take that direction, has mental problems already. Still it is sad though
T.A.Herst @ Mar 11th 2008 8:50PM
Before you judge these kids you must know about their family life. I came close to suicide when I was 16. Why? I had a tyrant of a father, he never payed attention to me, criticised me constantly and told me over and over again that I would be disinherited.
''BECAUSE I WAS NOT LIKE HIM ''
Well, I went to America,[am European] got away from him and indeed he disinherited me.
'BECAUSE I LEFT".
todd lissner @ Mar 11th 2008 8:52PM
THESE FASHIST ATTACKS AGAINST MYSPACE AND THE 1ST AMENDMENT HAVE GOT 2 STOP!!!!every time sum thing happens were sum1 on a worldwide community happens 2 have a page the same conservtive religious zelot fashists that ushered in the anti youth houlocaust 1980's have 2 start calling it a "myspace"this or a myspace that instead of just an unfourtanate happening!!!.,just cause its the site young people(including me im kinda young neway lol)like the most they attack it parents r really afraid of free expression not perverts ther r perverts on facebook in church and walking through your town right now STOP BLAMING MYSPACE!!!!this haz got 2 stop the system must change!!!
Mike @ Mar 11th 2008 8:56PM
WHOOOA! thats way way too many kids to be some kind of pact- I think the investigators need help here.
No way can 17 kids all be so bummed that they actually kill themselves. I mean, to say your going to do it is one thing, to pretend that your into whatever these kids are doing is one thing. but you can't get 17 kids to kill themselves like this.
There has to be some one they are meeting and end up getting killed by.
This needs a Full investigation.
I also aggree that AOL has blown this story with thier missleading title.
Good grief! help these people, can't some one request full forensics on this case? Shut down bebo for god's sakes 17 young peoples lives have ended. this is HORRIBLE
dorothy @ Mar 11th 2008 8:57PM
Saying the internet is to blame for these young adult sucides is like saying GUNS KILL PEOPLE...HELLO Amera, people do this to themselves and each other...NOT GUNS...NOT INTERNET
NancyJean @ Mar 11th 2008 9:04PM
Something is really wrong here. Things like this just dont happen. They better start figuring it out or more kids are going to die. I am so sorry for their parents.
Robert @ Mar 11th 2008 9:13PM
Sounds like s mind controll of a larger more Sinister organization perhaps sending sublimal messages to this kids over the internet..
Robert @ Mar 11th 2008 9:17PM
It's sad to hear that all these kids died commiting suicide..But where were their parents..don't they monitor their room chatrooms and logs..after all they have that right..
griftlc @ Mar 11th 2008 9:27PM
Has any one considered that (ELF) Extremely Low Frequency Fields from the high power transmission lines ( Shown in center of photo ) combined with hours of (ELF) exposed from computers may have a Psychological effect on these Children. Check out information from the UK.
TRENTHAM ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION CAMPAIGN
51 Earlsbrook Drive Trentham Stoke on Trent ST4 8DL
Summary of acknowledged health risks associated with living near high voltage power lines
Research 1979 - 2001Predicted excess cases annually in the UK near high voltage power lines ~ a few thousand cases
SUICIDE AND DEPRESSION
REICHMANIS M, PERRY F S, MARINO A A and BECKER R O, 1979. Relation between Suicide and the Electromagnetic Field of Overhead Power Lines. Physiology Chemistry & Physics, 11, 395-403.
PERRY F S, REICHMANIS M, MARINO A A and BECKER R O, 1981. Environmental Power-Frequency Magnetic Fields and Suicide. Health Physics, 41, 267-277.
PERRY S, PEARL L and BINNS R, 1989. Power Frequency Magnetic Field: Depressive Illness and Myocardial Infarction. Public health, 103 177-180
POOLE C KAVET R, FUNCH D P, DONELAN K, CHARRY J M and DREYER N A, 1993 Depressive Symptoms and Headaches in Relation to Proximity of Residence to an Alternating-Current Transmission Line Right-of -way. American Journal of Epidemiology, 137, 318-330
SAVITZ D A, BOYLE C A, and HOLMGREEN P, 1994. Prevalence of Depression Among Electrical Workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 25, 165-177.
VERKASALO P K, KAPRIO J, VARJONEN J. ROMANOV K, HEIKKILA K and KOSKENVUO M., 1997. Magnetic Fields of Transmission Lines and Depression. American Journal of Epidemiology, 146 1037-1045
BEALE I L, PEARCE N E, CONROY D M, HENNING M A and MURRELL K A, 1997.Psychological Effects of Chronic Exposure to 50 Hz Magnetic Fields in Humans Living Near Extra-High-Voltage Transmission Lines. Bioelectromagnetics, 18, 584-594.
VAN WIJNGAARDEN E V, SAVITZ D A, KLECKNER R C, CAI J and LOOMIS D, 2000. Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields and Suicide Among Electric Utility Workers: A Nested Case-Control study. WJM, 173, 94-100.
Considered biologically plausible via magnetic field exposure. Apparent low threshold ~ 0.1 uT.
Predicted excess cases annually in the UK near high voltage power lines
Suicide 60 cases
Depression Up to 9,000 cases of mild depression.
Rich @ Mar 11th 2008 9:28PM
Do not blame the Internet. That is as stupid as blaming a teacher of a student that goes home and commits suicide. The person that commits suicide is the one responsible. There is the bottom line.
Shawnna @ Mar 11th 2008 9:28PM
That is very creepy. Give Hollywood a year and there will be a movie about it.
not a rams fan @ Mar 11th 2008 9:30PM
wow aol is full of retards. the internet is killing them. of course. it cant be anything else in their life or...
oh yeah
PEOPLE BY GUNS WHENEVER THE HECK THEY WANT!!!