Bridgend Suicides - Wtf?

[pintsofguinness]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7252732.stm

Teenager's body found in Bridgend

Another body of a young person has been found in the Bridgend area.

South Wales Police named her as 16-year-old Jenna Parry, who was from the village of Cefn Cribwr, around five miles from Bridgend.

Her body was found early this morning in a woodland area by a man walking his dog across the village common.

Police said there was no link between a number of suicides in the area and no suggestion of a pact, saying they "were all young people with big issues".

The death in Cefn Cribwr is the 17th suspected suicide of a young person in the Bridgend county area in just over a year.

Last week, two cousins, aged 15 and 20, both from Bridgend, died within two days of each other.

South Wales Police, who have been conducting a review of other suspected suicides in the area, held a briefing.

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Morris said: "A number had access to social networking sites but there's no suggestion that anybody used these sites as a means to take their lives.

"They were all young people with big issues. There are a constellation of factors influencing these young people. Young people tell us that the media coverage is starting to contribute to those pressures."

The parents of Nathaniel Pritchard, 15, who died in hospital last week, were present to read a statement.

His cousin Kelly Stephenson, 20, also from Cefn Glas in Bridgend, was found dead while on holiday the following day.

Sharon Pritchard and husband Vincent appealed to the media to stop high profile coverage.

They said: "We have lost a son, and media coverage made a difficult time unbearable. We did not wish to speak to the media. Not just for ourselves but for other families.

"We feel the media coverage could trigger other people who are already feeling low - to take their own lives.

"We feel that Nathaniel might have thought it was a way of getting attention without fully thinking through the consequences."

They said they never believed there was any 'internet pact'.

Nathaniel Pritchard and Kelly Stephenson
The cousins died within hours of each other

Local assembly member Carwyn Jones, last weekend said the suspected suicides were spread county-wide, across a 130,000 population and seemed to be unrelated.

Today he welcomed the launch of a suicide prevention strategy for the Bridgend area.

Mr Jones said it had "taken a great deal of hard work and effort to prepare, will be of tremendous value and support to professionals in Bridgend".

Latest statistics available from the Office for National Statistics show that there were three suicides in 2004-2005 in the Bridgend area for those aged between 15 and 30, and three in 2006.

All were men.

Meanwhile, Welsh health minister Edwina Hart has just written to all AMs saying that she is accelerating work already underway for a suicide prevention action plan for Wales.

She said that the recent sad deaths from suicide in young people in South Wales highlighted the need to pull together the significant amounts of suicide prevention policy and initiatives in place into a single action plan.

Has anyone been following this Bridgend suicide thing? 
What the f**k is going on with them?

[ziggysego]

I seen one of the parents on the ITV news at 6.30pm. They are blaming part of it on the media sensationalising the news. Of course, there was tons of flashy graphics and music over this segment....

[Evil Genius]

Typical media sensationalism.

Neither the local police nor the Coroner who is investigating these deaths think they are linked:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7252732.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7234115.stm

Moreover, the suicide rate for England and Wales is falling, both amongst men and women, and has been for years. Apparently, a big factor has been the fitting of catalytic converters to cars, which makes it much harder for people to gas themselves from the exhaust.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7244486.stm

[pintsofguinness]

I don't think anyone said they were linked EG there's just so many in that area - there's so many everywhere and among children!

[The Gs Man]

We (Captain Kennedy) done a gig on Saturday night there for the new Suicide Awareness group that has started up in Lurgan.  So many people round here have been affected by suicide.  As pints side, its not just Bridgend it's happening, it's everywhere.

Does anyone think it's got anything to do with social networking sites like bebo, myspace, facebook etc?

[pintsofguinness]

Does anyone think it's got anything to do with social networking sites like bebo, myspace, facebook etc?

No, I don't think so.

I don't think there's anything to blame reallly, surely no one will do it unless they are down there already.

[The Gs Man]

I know what your saying, but sometimes impressionable kids may go on to someone's site who have committed suicide and see all the messages left for them etc.  then that could put it into their head.  know what I mean?  I see Bebo have put up an ad banner linking to the samaritans as well.  it would break your heart.

[pintsofguinness]

I know what your saying, but sometimes impressionable kids may go on to someone's site who have committed suicide and see all the messages left for them etc.  then that could put it into their head.  know what I mean?  I see Bebo have put up an ad banner linking to the samaritans as well.  it would break your heart.

Yeah I know what you mean but I think you still have to be down there.

[gerry]

sad news for any family to get.  how can you say the deaths of 17 people in a year are not related.  i listen to an interview on radio five about messages left on bebo for the people who died and how they were friends on it.

i think the media are trying to play it down as they do not want to add  more pressure to the youths there.  unfortunately people do not talk to each other as much now, people find it harder to talk about their fears and worries, they rather chat on a chatroom than face to face

[Minder]

I think part of it is an attention thing, they see all the mourners at a funeral and the outpouring of grief but somewhere in their heads they dont realise when they do commit suicide thats it over.

[imtommygunn]

North Belfast has an awful high suicide rate too.

It's something which seems to be becoming increasingly common among young people.

For people with "problems" the internet is a bad bad place and I think it definitely contributes in some regard to suicide rates.

[Minder]

I think more than the internet, glue, drugs and alcohol abuse at a young age are more dangerous and contributing factors.......

[Evil Genius]

I don't think anyone said they were linked EG there's just so many in that area - there's so many everywhere and among children!

Actually, when the story broke, there was considerable speculation that there was a link with a suicide pact website on the Internet. And although this was dismissed by the local authorities, the media have concentrated on any Welsh suicide to give a false impression i.e. most suicides are young, any within a 20 mile radius is invariably called "Bridgend" and they don't report that suicide rates in England and Wales continue to fall consistently, nor do they ever publish comparable figures for suicides in Wales over a period.

Dangerous dogs, child abusers, prostitute killers, air safety, Muslim terrorism, "celebrity" druggies etc - they each get their brief run, before being forgotten about when the next big "story" emerges.

[Evil Genius]

how can you say the deaths of 17 people in a year are not related. 

I can't say it. So instead, I rely on the Police, the Coroner and the local Social Services, who are all saying they're not connected. Try reading the links I posted above.

[pintsofguinness]

I don't think anyone said they were linked EG there's just so many in that area - there's so many everywhere and among children!

Actually, when the story broke, there was considerable speculation that there was a link with a suicide pact website on the Internet. And although this was dismissed by the local authorities, the media have concentrated on any Welsh suicide to give a false impression i.e. most suicides are young, any within a 20 mile radius is invariably called "Bridgend" and they don't report that suicide rates in England and Wales continue to fall consistently, nor do they ever publish comparable figures for suicides in Wales over a period.

Dangerous dogs, child abusers, prostitute killers, air safety, Muslim terrorism, "celebrity" druggies etc - they each get their brief run, before being forgotten about when the next big "story" emerges.

Well I'd agree with you that the media are milking it.

Is it not strange that they all hanged themselves?  Isn't it unsual for girls/women to choose that method?