Suicide bid blamed on Netflix teen drama

CONCERNS have been raised over a popular Netflix drama after claims it inspired the attempted suicide of two 13-year-old girls in Austria.

The girls are now recovering after teachers found them at the last minute. Austrians have called for

13 Reasons Why, a Netflix drama which tells the story of an American high school student who kills herself, to be banned after the incident.

However, Karl Steinparz, a spokesman for the local school board, played down claims the two girls had been inspired by the series, saying there was no conclusive evidence of a link.

“We can’t say if it’s true. All I can tell you is that a lot of the children at the school have said they believe there is a connection,” he said.

The two girls, who have not been named under child protection laws, are students at the local Gymnasium in the small town of Bad Ischl.

Last week they told a teacher they would be absent during the afternoon and gave him what they claimed was a letter giving them time off school. The teacher opened the letter to find it was a suicide note.

He raised the alarm and staff searched the school. The girls were found in a toilet and taken to hospital.

Austrian police are investigating whether there is any link to the attempted suicide of a third girl in the small town, who tried to kill herself after arguing with her mother.