The parents of an 11-year-old girl are left dumbstruck after discovering their daughter's haunting Instagram post shortly before she took her own life.
The Daily Mail reports a coroner's inquest into the death of Milly Tuomey, from Dublin, heard she posted on her Instagram she wanted to die.
Her parents were informed of the distressing content on her Instagram by Milly's older sister and school. They promptly took her to a GP, where Milly again expressed her wish to die.
She was referred to a clinical psychologist, but they were not taking on new patients so she was instead sent to an art therapist, who was not qualified to make clinical assessments.
After her first appointment the therapist advised parents to get an appointment with the HSE's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
The appointment was made for January 30, 2016, but was moved forward after Milly's mother Fiona Tuomey discovered a "suicide diary" and evidence indicating an attempt at self-harm under her bed.
Ms Tuomey told the Dublin Coroners Court her daughter had cut herself and written "beautiful girls don't eat" on her arm in biro.
The family was told to go to the local hospital emergency department if they had concerns over Christmas. On November 3, 2015, Milly told her Instagram followers she wanted to die on a certain day.
On January 1, 2016 Milly excused herself from a family dinner and went to her room where she was found a short time later in a critical condition. She was rushed to hospital and died on January 4. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane ruled the death a suicide on November 30, 2017.
"Milly was loving and greatly loved, fit, healthy, connected, engaged and talented," her parents said in a statement after the inquest.
"When we discovered, out of the blue, that our child had told her friends on Instagram that she had chosen the day she would die, we couldn't believe it. We did not know what to do."
Where to find help and support:
- Free call or text 1737
- Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
- Healthline 0800 611 116
- Samaritans 0800 726 666
- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Mental Health Foundation
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