January 26th 2024.
Mia Janin was a 14-year-old girl who tragically took her own life after being bullied by her peers. Her father, Mariano Janin, expressed his disappointment and heartbreak as he believed that the people who were supposed to protect her failed to do so. Mia was a student at the Jewish Free School in Kenton, north-west London, and her body was found at her family home in Barnet in March 2021.
During the inquest into her death, Mia's family shared a voice note that she had sent to a friend on WhatsApp. In the note, she expressed her despair and anxiety about the bullying she was experiencing. She said, "Tomorrow's going to be a rough day, I'm taking deep breaths in and out. I'm mentally preparing myself to get bullied tomorrow." These words were a heartbreaking reminder of the pain and fear that Mia was going through.
On the night of March 11, 2021, Mia said goodnight to her parents and went to bed. Unfortunately, she was found dead the next morning at around 6:50 am by her parents. During the inquest, North London area coroner Tony Murphy concluded that Mia took her own life while still a child and in the process of maturing into adulthood. He made this statement at Barnet Coroner's Court on Friday.
Mia's family also found two letters written by her on her bed, addressed to her family and friends. These letters explained her decision to end her life. Mr. Murphy also mentioned that Mia had close friends and support at her secondary school, but she also experienced bullying from some male students. Statements from Mia's friends were also read out during the inquest, where they revealed that Mia was bullied by other students at the school. They even had a nickname for their group, "the suicide squad," which was a heart-wrenching detail.
One of the students also shared that some male students had created a group chat on Snapchat where they made fun of Mia and even shared her TikTok videos. Mr. Murphy noted that neither Mia's family nor her teachers were aware of this before her death. He also mentioned that Mia's school has made some changes following her death and that she is dearly missed by her family, friends, and the community.
Mia's father, Mariano Janin, also spoke at the inquest and paid tribute to his daughter. He described her as a fantastic, bubbly, and kind girl with a good sense of humor and creativity. He also expressed his grief and anger towards the people who were supposed to protect Mia and hold them accountable for their failure to do so. He said, "My daughter experienced prolonged and sustained bullying in various ways in person and online. In a way, it's a relief that this has now been recognized, but there needs to be accountability. Another family should not have to go through what I have been through."
Mr. Janin also mentioned that he was glad to hear that the school has made changes to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. During the inquest, Rabbi Howard Cohen, a former deputy headteacher at JFS, also shared his insights. He mentioned that after Mia's death, there were talks in the school about "boys-only bravado groups" sharing images of girls. He also came to know about a boys' WhatsApp group where they rated the attractiveness of female students. However, he had no reason to believe that these groups were related to Mia.
Mr. Janin also shared that Mia had asked to move schools on the night of March 11. Her mother, Marisa, who has since passed away, had assured her that she could be homeschooled for the rest of the school year and that they would look into transferring her to a new school. Sadly, Mia never got the chance to see this happen as she passed away in her sleep. The area coroner also mentioned that there was no evidence of any images or videos involving Mia being shared in the group chat, except for her TikTok video.
The inquest also shared a message for anyone who may need support or know someone who does. They urged anyone going through emotional distress to reach out to the Samaritans, a 24-hour helpline that provides emotional support. They also shared the contact information for PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide UK, who have a digital support platform open 24/7 and a helpline available from 9 am to midnight. It is essential to reach out for help and support in times of need.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
