Mia Janin was targeted by boys nicknamed the ‘Suicide Squad’ and was the third pupil at her school in five years to take her own life.
The father of a schoolgirl who took her own life after being targeted by bullies at school has said that none of her tormentors has apologised to him.
Mariano Janin said that only friends of his daughter Mia, 14, had contacted him since her death.
Tony Murphy, the assistant coroner for north London, found at Barnet coroner’s court that the student, who was in Year 10 at the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kenton, died “while still a child and while still in the process of maturing into adulthood”.
Mia, who was 14, had experienced “bullying behaviour from some male students”, Murphy concluded, although he did not say that bullying led to her death.
Murphy added that neither Mia’s family nor her teachers were aware of this before her death and that the school had brought in systematic changes since. When she died in 2021 she was the third child at the school in five years to have taken their own life.
Statements given by Mia’s friends to the Metropolitan Police were read at the inquest. They said that Mia was bullied by other pupils at the school, and that their friendship group was nicknamed the “Suicide Squad” in the months beforehand.
Mia was last seen alive at about 10pm on March 11, 2021, when she said goodnight to her parents in their family home.
They found her dead at about 6.50am the next day. Two undated letters in her handwriting had been left on her bed addressed to “her loving family and friends”, which “explained that Mia decided to end her life”, Murphy said.
She made the decision after returning home from her first day of in-person teaching following the easing of Covid restrictions.
“Horrible messages” were being shared about Mia after a video she made was circulated on an all-boys group chat the previous evening, the inquest had heard. Mia left a voice note with her friend saying that she was “mentally preparing herself to get bullied” as a result.
Mia had “felt low self-esteem at times” but was never diagnosed with mental illness, nor did she present signs she was thinking of suicide, Murphy said.
The coroner added: “Mia is much-missed by her loving family, caring friends and the wider community.”
He would let the legal representatives know at a later time if he would be issuing a prevention of future deaths report.
Following the inquest, Mariano Janin told reporters he was a “victim of this failing system”.
“For almost three years we have sought answers for the loss of Mia. Today we found some of those answers and the failure of the people who … were meant to keep her safe.
“My daughter experienced prolonged and sustained bullying in various ways in person and online. In a way it’s a relief this has now been recognised. However, there does need to be accountability. Another family cannot live what I have lived.”
This week, the Conservative MP Miriam Cates cited Mia’s case in parliament to call for smartphone and social media bans for under-16s, describing “a marked increase in poor teen mental health, teen suicide attempts and children addicted to pornography” since 2010.
However, Janin told the Times that although he was “happy that she’s worried about this subject” he did not believe a ban was the answer. “We should create a safe environment and teach our kids how to use the resources,” he said.
Janin described his daughter as a “bubbly and very clever” girl with “a good sense of humour”.
He continued: “She had lots of interests. She was part of her cheerleading team for many years, she liked to do drawings to be an architect, she was doing drama, singing and dancing. She didn’t sing well, but she was very enthusiastic, she used to make fun of herself.
“When Mia was inside a room, she could bring light to the place.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Source: ‘None of Mia’s tormentors apologised for bullying’ says father (thetimes.co.uk)
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