Chloe Macdermott suicide pact: 'Google, Amazon can prevent such tragedies', says Coroner investigating case
On May 23, 2021, Chloe Macdermott who had been struggling with mental health issues for a few years, made a suicide pact with two people she had met online. While searching for ways to end her life, the 43-year-old stumbled upon an online forum where she planned suicide. Using the poison she bought from Amazon, she killed herself. Photograph:( Agencies )
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In the conclusion of the suicide report, coroner Paul Rogers said that he believed Google and Amazon have the power to prevent tragedies like Chloe Macdermott's suicide pact
In the conclusion of the suicide report, coroner Paul Rogers said that he believed Google and Amazon have the power to prevent tragedies like Chloe Macdermott's suicide pact
In 2021, a tragedy unfolded when a 43-year-old British woman, Chloe Macdermott, took her own life after making a suicide pact with two individuals she met on an online forum. Now, the coroner investigating the case has called on tech giants Google and Amazon to take action.
The coroner, Paul Rogers, ruled her death as suicide and issued a prevention of future deaths report to tech giants Google and Amazon.
Power to prevent tragedies
In the conclusion of the suicide report, coroner Rogers said that he believed Google and Amazon have the power to prevent tragedies like this.
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The report has also been sent to the home, health, and culture secretaries and the national lead for suicide prevention at the National Police Chiefs' Council, reports The Guardian.
He said that it was a matter of concern that the forum used by Macdermott, and other forums like it" encourage suicide, assist it by provision of information about suicide methods, counsel suicide by providing information about it and thereby potentially facilitate the commission of a criminal offence in the United Kingdom".
The forum "permits material to be exchanged and viewed within its open chatrooms whereby suicide is encouraged, assisted, counselled and procured through the provision and exchange of information and methods," he added.
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"No age or other restrictions are in place to prevent access to children, vulnerable teenagers and vulnerable adults. No prominent signposting is in place to organisations from whom help is available to prevent suicide. Posts are made by users containing details of methods of suicide without any effective administration to remove such harmful content," the coroner further
The organisations now have 56 days to respond with an outline of how they will attempt to prevent future deaths and a timetable for doing so. Furthermore, if no action is taken, they must explain the reasoning behind that.
What happened to Chloe Macdermott?
On May 23, 2021, Chloe Macdermott who had been struggling with mental health issues for a few years, made a suicide pact with two people she had met online.
While searching for ways to end her life, the 43-year-old stumbled upon an online forum where she planned suicide. Using the poison bought on Amazon, she killed herself.
(With inputs from agencies)
If you or someone you know wants help for mental well being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, 98204 66726, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata), Parivarthan (Bangalore) +91 76766 02602
WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations
