Pretoria teen allegedly commits suicide after social media bullying
The Gauteng education department questioned why teachers at the school did not act immediately when the bullying first started.
File image for illustrative purposes.
A 13-year-old girl from the north of Pretoria has allegedly taken her life after reportedly being bullied by friends on a WhatsApp group on Monday morning, reports Pretoria North Rekord.
The bullying apparently started last week.
Sinoville crisis centre spokesperson Sonja Carstens said: “The learner allegedly distributed an image and this was forwarded on WhatsApp groups.”
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Carstens said the teen apparently refused to go to school on Friday and Monday.
“She spoke to teachers to get assistance and reported her schoolmates,” said the crisis centre CEO Colleen Strauss.
“Her mother went to see the principal to discuss her concerns.”
It is understood the principal then agreed to “deal” with it.
“Her mother found her body at home later in the morning [after her meeting with the principal],” Strauss said.
She said the “heart-breaking” occurrence was a wake-up call to people working with children.
“Children experience emotions much more severely and can be very impulsive. They don’t have the knowledge to realise in the spur of the moment that everything will be ok tomorrow,” Strauss said.
It is understood the Gauteng education department was at the school on Monday.
The department apparently questioned why teachers did not act immediately and launched an investigation.
Departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona was yet to respond to Pretoria North Rekord at the time of going to press.
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