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A grieving mother who lost her 12-year-old daughter to suicide has blamed a popular Netflix show for teaching her about self-harm.
Jessica Scatterson, from Warrington in the UK, was tragically found hanged in her bedroom in April 2017.
Her mother Rachael Warburton told The Mirror her daughter Jessica had been watching the show13 Reasons Why before her death, a show which chronicles the suicide of a high-school girl.
In the famous Netflix show, main character Hannah gives her friends 13 reasons why she decided to take her own life.
‘Jessica was watching this show with her friends and listed six reasons why she wanted to die,’ Ms Warburton told The Mirror.
‘It should be banned, because my daughter watched it and it gives children the idea to self-harm.
Ms Warburton believes the show played a role in influencing her daughter.
‘Its intentions are to raise suicide awareness but I believe it encourages young people to commit suicide. All Jessica’s friends were messaging each other discussing the series. Parents should be warned not to let their children watch it,’ she said.
A coroner ruled Jessica’s death as suicide, after the schoolgirl was found in her bedroom on 22 April 2017, two days before her 13th birthday.
Coroner Alan Moore said Jessica felt ’emotionally overwhelmed’ when she took her own life.
The inquest also heard she had been ‘tormented’ by school bullies in the time leading to her death.
Ms Warburton now wants Netflix to impose stricter parental controls to stop children watching inappropriate shows.
‘I don’t want another parent to go through what we have. I urge everyone to keep a closer eye on what children are watching online,’ she added.
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