Teen in hospital with slit wrists, another hanged

A TEENAGER was found hanged while another who lived on the same property was taken to hospital with serious wrist injuries after a late night out ended in tragedy yesterday. A crime is not suspected. Eastern Cape health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the two girls, who lived in Gelvandale, had been called in from the street at 1am yesterday and reprimanded by a relative for being out too late with their friends.

“The family went to sleep under the impression that the kids [would let themselves] into the house. On Sunday morning, the grandmother went looking for them. “They were found in the backyard. “One girl, 15, was found in a storage space under the floor of the house hanging by an electrical cord. Her body was taken down and covered with a blanket.”

Kupelo said the teenager was declared dead at the scene.

“The other girl was found in a shack at the back of the house. She had tried to slit her wrists,” he said.

The teenager, also 15, was taken to Livingstone Hospital for treatment.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu named the dead teen as Vinasharee Cadles.

“The reason for her suicide is not known. We have opened an inquest docket,” she said.

The teenagers lived in the same house but were not known to be related.

During Teen Suicide Prevention Week earlier this year, South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) operations director Cassey Chambers said suicide accounted for 9.5% of all unnatural teen deaths.

The National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey, carried out in 2011, also showed that 17.6% of teens had considered attempting suicide.

Anyone who needs help can contact Sadag’s Suicide Crisis Line on 0800-567-567 or SMS 31393.