A devastated mother has spoken out about the tragic death of her 12-year-old daughter, who committed suicide on December 29 after persistent cyberbullying. Adiele Boyd, from Australia, was the victim of ongoing online harassment, which her mother, Victoria, believes played a major role in her daughter’s heartbreaking decision.
A bright and talented student of Aitkenwell State School, Ms. Adiel was the youngest of four children. Described by her mother as a “wonderful little girl”, Ms. Adiel excelled academically and musically. She played several instruments and spoke three languages. Victoria Boyd described her daughter as “close to perfection”, noting how her warmth and intelligence made an impact on everyone she met. However, behind her achievements and loving nature, Ms Adiel was struggling with the devastating effects of online bullying.
Victoria Boyd spoke about her deep concern over the dangers of social media, a space where parents often struggle to intervene. “Children are lost in social media, it is the most dangerous tool for parents,” he said, acknowledging how difficult it was to monitor Ms Adiel’s online interactions.
The bullying, which also occurred on school grounds, centered on jealousy and cruelty, his mother said. Victoria Boyd shared that the pre-teen was bullied by her friends for being “too pretty” and that the harassment took a toll. “She just didn’t understand,” Victoria Boyd said.
Ms Adiel’s older sister, Tameka, had started a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses and support the grieving family. The campaign has already raised more than $13,286 (Rs 11.3 lakh), and Tameka described her sister as someone who “left a birthmark on everyone she knew in the 12 short years of her life.” Was.”
Last year, a 10-year-old boy in Indiana, US, died by suicide after enduring constant bullying at school. His family revealed that the bullying began with making fun of his glasses and teeth and escalated to physical abuse, including being beaten on the school bus and having his glasses broken. The bullying continued online with threatening messages. Despite the family complaining several times about harassment in the school, the situation did not improve. The boy’s parents believed that bullying, particularly the incident in the school bathroom, led to his tragic decision.
