Boy, 15, killed himself after he was bullied on social media
A SCHOOLBOY’S death has been blamed on bullying linked to a controversial social-media site.
George Hessay, 15, was described as the class joker who would ‘brighten everyone’s day’ – but he was secretly tormented by anonymous comments about him online.
His family told friends he killed himself last week because of bullying, and website Sayat.me has been linked to the tragedy.
There are also claims that George, a football-loving boy with many friends, was bullied locally.
His death highlights the dangers of social media sites to vulnerable teenagers.
An online petition set up by a 13-year-old girl has 1,800 signatures urging the Prime Minister to ‘shut down the harmful website’ Sayat.me, which has allegedly been linked to a number of suicides. A post on the petition from a member of George’s family blamed ‘this app’ for his death, adding: ‘I want to make sure it does not happen to anyone else.’
Sayat.me – set up by an Estonian-based web company – lets users give ‘sincere and honest feedback’ about others anonymously.
It is said to be popular with teenagers and have about 30million users worldwide.
Humberside Police said it was notified about the ‘sudden death of a 15-year-old boy’ from the village of Rawcliffe, East Yorkshire, on May 10, which was not being treated as suspicious.
The coroner’s office said that an inquest had been opened and adjourned but would not confirm George, who attended Snaith School, had been found hanged. Dozens of bouquets and messages have been left at a tree on the village green which has had the initials GH carved into the trunk.
George lived with parents Mike, 50, and Emma, 49, and 11-year-old sister Charlotte. They were too upset to comment yesterday.
However, family friend Joely Baxter hit out at online bullies and the ‘stupid’ Sayat.me website on Facebook.
‘Exposed to deep psychological horror’
She wrote: ‘George Hessay was such a nice boy who cared about everyone and made sure everyone was OK, he put everybody before him and he was funny. He made people laugh because that’s what he loved doing, he really didn’t deserve what happened to him, nobody does.’
She said whoever was responsible ‘should be ashamed’ and was ‘sick in the head’. She went on: ‘Personally I think it’s horrible that somebody could tip somebody over the edge to actually end their life.’
Prayers were said for the teenager at the local church on Sunday.
Reverend Philip Ball said George’s legacy would be to help stop ‘destructive negative things that we say about one another’.
A village funfair has been extended to raise money for an anti-bullying campaign. Zoe Tucker, whose family owns the funfair, said she had been told George ‘had been bullied and couldn’t take it any more’.
She said: ‘Bullying happens on social-media sites and at school and we want to help highlight this.’
Sayat.me, which is free to use and available via an app, was not operational yesterday, with a notice stating it was ‘temporarily closed for maintenance reasons’. The firm could not be contacted.
Cyber security expert Dr Daniel Dresner, of Manchester University, said: ‘These sort of sites expose children to deep psychological horror.
‘This is old-fashioned bullying but more pervasive because it is on your device, in your hand.’
For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local branch or go to www.samaritans.org