Police are looking for answers after an eight-year-old girl died in an apparent suicide, falling from her family’s ninth floor apartment building in Johor, following a heated argument with her mother.
Police say that after fighting over the girl’s noise level, the mother reprimanded the girl. The young girl then allegedly locked herself in her room, and tragically chose to take her own life. The girl’s mother claims that she asked her to open the door to no avail. There were no witnesses in her death.
However, she also maintains that she had no idea that her young daughter had jumped from the window, and was only alerted when neighbors recognized the young, motionless body on the ground floor, and told her.
Police told New Straits Times that the mother then forced herself into the room, but it was too late. The paper also reports that attempts to gather details from the victim’s family have been unsuccessful.
She was pronounced dead at 2:30pm, and her body is currently undergoing a postmortem investigation.
Police have classified the death as sudden death, pending further investigations.
Suicides among children are on the rise. While no studies in Malaysia have tackled the issue head-on, research from the United States has shown that children between the ages of 5-11 who take their own lives are more than likely to have trouble within the dynamics of the family home.
While 66% of older children who commit suicide suffer from depression, only 33% of younger children are depressed. However, over 60% are diagnosed with ADHD, and doctors believe them to be more vulnerable to suicide as they respond more impulsively to interpersonal challenges.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or know anyone who may be, get help immediately.
You can contact the Malaysian Mental Health Association at 03 7782 5499, Befriends at 03 7956 8144 or LifelIne Association Malaysia at 03 4265 7995
