November 28th 2024.
A coroner has ruled that the online harassment directed towards Megan Evans was not solely responsible for her tragic decision to take her own life. The 14-year-old schoolgirl had been the target of a social media campaign with the hashtag "I hate Megan Evans," and had received messages telling her to "go kill herself." However, after an inquest into her death, the coroner, Paul Bennett, stated that while these messages were concerning, they were not the only contributing factor.
Bennett acknowledged that phrases like "go kill yourself" are unfortunately common in online interactions, and can be interpreted differently by different individuals. He also pointed out that children and young people may have different perceptions of what constitutes bullying. He made it clear that his decision was not influenced by the role of social media or bullying, but rather by the personal issues Megan was facing.
Megan's mother and friends shared with the inquest that she had been struggling with unhappiness at school, largely due to the alleged bullying she was experiencing from both her peers and school staff. However, the coroner noted that the key issue upsetting Megan was her boyfriend's behavior and alleged relationship with another girl. The messages she received about this situation were distressing, but it was the content of the messages rather than the medium that caused her distress.
The inquest also revealed that Megan's photo had been shared on social media with the implication that she was smoking, resulting in name-calling from her classmates. Additionally, an "I hate Megan Evans" group had been created. Despite these troubling details, the coroner did not find sufficient evidence to support the family's claims that the school had not taken appropriate action against bullying.
On the night of her death, Megan was home alone with her siblings while her parents were out. She did not leave a suicide note, but the fact that she was in an uncommon room and had barricaded the door suggested that she did not want to be disturbed or found quickly. Megan was described as a talented artist and hockey player who had been looking forward to attending a Justin Bieber concert. Her family and friends were devastated by her loss, and her mother, Nicola, has since devoted her efforts to raising awareness about mental health and the dangers of social media bullying through the foundation she founded in Megan's honor.
After concluding that Megan's death was a result of suicide, Mr. Bennett expressed his condolences to her family and apologized for the delays in investigating the tragic loss. He acknowledged the impact of her death and the importance of addressing mental health and bullying issues in young people. For anyone in need of emotional support, the Samaritans and PAPYRUS are available 24/7 through various means. Let us work together to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future.
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