15-year-old autistic boy dies by suicide after threatening messages on Snapchat group chat

Summary

A 15-year-old boy named Daniel Nowowiejski, who was on the autism spectrum, tragically took his own life on August 17, 2023, after receiving threatening and abusive messages on Snapchat from friends in a group chat. The abuse began on August 16 following an allegation made against him, and the messages included threats of violence and claims that others had access to guns. Daniel met with one of the group members in a park that day and later sent messages indicating he intended to jump from a bridge. Despite attempts by some group members to intervene, he was run over by a vehicle on the M6 motorway. The driver, who did not stop, claimed he was unaware he had hit anyone. An inquest at Cheshire Coroner’s Court heard that Daniel’s autism likely contributed to how he processed the threats and his emotional response to them.