The family of 12-year-old Lara Burns, who committed suicide over the weekend, have been left devastated by the tragedy.
Lara Burns, from Kilcock in Co. Kildare, was found dead on Saturday evening. Police have begun an investigation into her death amid claims that she was a victim of cyber bullying.
“The family is struggling to come to terms with the devastating tragedy,” a friend told the Irish Independent.
Local priest Fr PJ Byrne said: “The community is in shock and are trying to come to terms with such deeply sad and emotional events.”
Meanwhile tributes are flowing into a Facebook page set up by Lara’s friends.
One commenter said: “rip lara . . my heart goes out to ur family and friends. ths should not hav happend it is a total disgrace that some people think its ok to bully a young girl to death... heartbreakin. [sic]”
Read More: Four of every five Irish teenagers claim they have been victims of cyber-bullying
Another wrote: “It’s sick to see what bullying makes people do. Yesterday we lost a innocent girl because of it. We have to take action. R.I.P.”
The 12-year-old is understood to have loved horses and US rock band Black Veil Brides. Lara’s suicide is the third teenage death to be linked with cyber bullying in recent months.
Lara was a first year student at Maynooth Post Primary School; in a statement the victim’s school described her death as a terrible tragedy.
“We are deeply saddened by these events. Our sympathy and thoughts are with Lara's family and friends.”
Lara’s suicide is the third among young teens in recent months. In September 15-year-old Ciara Pugsley from Leitrim took her own life. Last month Erin Gallagher, 13, from Ballybofey, Co Donegal, also committed suicide.
Read More: Two Irish teens commit suicide over alleged online bullying
6 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.merefalow | Nov 29, 2012, 12:13 PM EST
never underestimate how evil bullying is,whether it is directed by children or adults,it should be top of the agenda in schools,some mechanism put in place to be able to stop it in its tracks,and a realization imbued in pupils of the serious consequences of indulging in such UNACCEPTABLE behaviour.
beaumax99 | Nov 28, 2012, 07:25 AM EST
Perhaps schools should intervene and offer a class where honor students address issues like acceptance, unacceptance, bullying. I believe children can relate to their peers much easier then attempting to relate to adults. Let's face it, bullying has to be extreme in order for someone to take their own life.
bunkerisland | Nov 27, 2012, 12:58 PM EST
This stuff simply breaks your heart. With so much of life ahead of her how did bullying take such a strong hold of a 12 yo? We need to learn more about protecting our children and helping them to defend themselves from such attacks. Since much of this appears to be through the internet perhaps we need a strong agreement/contract with our children that encourages them to share their searching and encourage them to recognize we will help regardless of any situation they are in. What can be lost that is worse than a daughter's life?
kubs | Nov 27, 2012, 12:58 PM EST
That poor, poor child. May the Gods be good to her in some Other Place... Peace she did not have in this One.
cabbagehead44 | Nov 27, 2012, 12:53 PM EST
This is too sad for words? This points up the need for intervention by school authorities if the parents aren't able to deal with the situation. It's hard to believe that nothing was done to help this girl cope with the bullying. Young girls are vulnerable because they just don't have the self-esteem necessary to appropriately deal with the bully. This girl needed some psychological counseling in order to cope and the bullies needed some counseling to prevent this tragedy from occurring. Let's hope that the school system can incorporate a program in the school to stop bullying and make students aware enough to learn how to cope with a bully and expose bullies so that they get treatment for the behavior to prevent this sort of tragedy from happening again!
cillowen | Nov 27, 2012, 12:41 PM EST
begin by fuggetin 'bout blowins - at home there be bigger fish to fry - like what to do about the young uns pulling plug on selves