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self_harm_suicide: 14‑year‑old boy found dead after exposure to harmful social media content — TikTok
Summary
Ellen Roome discovered her 14‑year‑old son Jools dead in his Cheltenham bedroom in April 2022, an hour after he was seen laughing with a friend on CCTV. A 23‑minute inquest found no evidence of suicide, but Roome believes Jools was exposed to harmful content on social media in his final hours. She has campaigned for legal accountability and influenced UK legislation (Jools' Law) to preserve the data of deceased children, and is suing TikTok in the US to access his social media history.
Incident Details
Domain
Self-Harm & Suicide
Content or interactions that contribute to self-harm, suicidal ideation, or eating disorders.
Harm Types
Suicide
Content or contact linked to suicidal ideation, attempts, or completion.
Self-Harm
Non-suicidal self-injury facilitated or encouraged through online interactions.
Mechanism
exposure to harmful content
Severity
FatalityMinor involved
Platforms
social media
Companies
Recipient
Group14‑year‑old boy
Who Was Affected
Age
Teen
Gender
Male
Group
Children