Teen's Death Sparks Suicide Awareness Campaign
By: Brittney Johnson, KARK 4 News
Updated: December 12, 2012
You may see your kids every day but are you friends with them on Facebook? Do you follow them on Twitter? One Arkansas mother says if she'd known more about what her daughter was facing online, maybe she could have saved her life.
Amber Patton says like so many other parents she'd ask her 15-year-old daughter, Asya, if something was bothering her and get a smile and a vague response in return. A few weeks ago, she learned just how much her daughter was bothered by bullies, after she committed suicide.
A simple Facebook search for Asya Patton turns up countless photos of a fun-loving 15-year-old.
"She was outgoing, bubbly," her mother says.
Weeks after she Asya took her own life, Amber Patton admits, she's still in denial.
"It seems like oh Asya will be here later, but she never comes," she says.
While trying to retrace her steps mentally, Asya's mother says she found herself stumbling over signs she believes she missed.
"Sometimes she secluded herself from people and wanted to be by herself," says Patton.
Even Asya's final tweets spelled trouble. She wrote, "I love you mommy," and "said our goodbyes..."
"That's their internet diary," 17 year-old Allyssa Thomas says about Twitter.
Thomas says some teens tend to be private when it comes to their parents but not their peers.
"Most kids are on there, their parents aren't on there, and it makes them say and do things on Twitter cause their parents aren't around," Thomas says.
Patton is encouraging parents to change that and get more involved in their kids lives on and offline. She believes their presence could change and save lives.
Patton is launching the Asya Patton Project. They're holding a social media awareness day Monday, December 17th. For more information, click here.
Their goal is to give young people a safe place to communicate openly and rally against bullying.
Amber Patton says like so many other parents she'd ask her 15-year-old daughter, Asya, if something was bothering her and get a smile and a vague response in return. A few weeks ago, she learned just how much her daughter was bothered by bullies, after she committed suicide.
A simple Facebook search for Asya Patton turns up countless photos of a fun-loving 15-year-old.
"She was outgoing, bubbly," her mother says.
Weeks after she Asya took her own life, Amber Patton admits, she's still in denial.
"It seems like oh Asya will be here later, but she never comes," she says.
While trying to retrace her steps mentally, Asya's mother says she found herself stumbling over signs she believes she missed.
"Sometimes she secluded herself from people and wanted to be by herself," says Patton.
Even Asya's final tweets spelled trouble. She wrote, "I love you mommy," and "said our goodbyes..."
"That's their internet diary," 17 year-old Allyssa Thomas says about Twitter.
Thomas says some teens tend to be private when it comes to their parents but not their peers.
"Most kids are on there, their parents aren't on there, and it makes them say and do things on Twitter cause their parents aren't around," Thomas says.
Patton is encouraging parents to change that and get more involved in their kids lives on and offline. She believes their presence could change and save lives.
Patton is launching the Asya Patton Project. They're holding a social media awareness day Monday, December 17th. For more information, click here.
Their goal is to give young people a safe place to communicate openly and rally against bullying.
Comments
We just had a young man in Heber Springs take his own life as well. It is so sad.
William S.
December 13, 2012 at 11:44 am
