13-year-old girl dies by suicide after exposure to trivializing suicide content on social media platforms

Summary

A 13-year-old girl, Alyssa Morris, took her own life in Brungerley Park, Clitheroe, Lancashire, on February 7, 2023, just five days before her 14th birthday. Her mother, Kathleen Firth, stated that Alyssa had endured months of relentless bullying, which she believed could have been prevented with proper support. Alyssa had struggled with social anxiety, self-harmed, and was affected by the isolation caused by lockdown measures during the pandemic. The bullying reportedly continued despite a change of schools and even included an alleged physical attack at a bus stop in July 2022, which was reported to police but not formally documented. An inquest in May 2023 concluded that Alyssa’s death was suicide, though a note left behind did not explain her actions. Firth criticized social media platforms for exposing Alyssa to content that trivialized suicide and contributed to her mental health struggles.