Family Blames Social Media Giants After 12-Year-Old's Suicide
A mother is calling for greater online protections for children after her daughter died by suicide, with investigators finding distressing content on her phone.
The family of Savannah Forbes, a 12-year-old girl who died by suicide on Tuesday, is urging social media companies to implement stronger safeguards for children online. Detectives discovered disturbing material on Savannah's phone, including discussions of suicide and self-harm, according to reports.
Savannah died at her home in Gladstone, Queensland, shortly after an apparently normal family dinner. Her mother, Justine West, expressed distress over the content her daughter was exposed to, stating, "The social media giants have let down Savannah. How is that kind of conversation even allowed to stay on social media?"
West described her daughter as "beautiful and happy" and said the family was unaware of the severity of the online content. Savannah's older sister, Aleasha West, noted that platforms like TikTok have a "darker side" and warned of children being drawn into destructive online environments.
The family also mentioned that Savannah had been experiencing bullying, and her behavior had changed noticeably. A GP referred Savannah to CQ Psych Services, but a lengthy waiting list meant there was no immediate help available when she needed it, according to her mother.
Despite Australia's recent introduction of social media age-restriction laws, Savannah was reportedly still able to access her accounts. The family is now advocating for enhanced child protection measures online, particularly concerning content related to self-harm.
TikTok provided a statement to The Courier Mail indicating that the platform maintains strong relationships with law enforcement and continually updates its policies. The company reported deactivating over 550,000 accounts belonging to users under 16 when the new laws took effect and removes approximately 24,000 suspected underage accounts each month.
Queensland Police confirmed that officers are preparing a report for the coroner following the non-suspicious death of a child on September 29. Aleasha West has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses and bring Savannah's remains back to her hometown for services.
Beyond Blue can be reached at 1300 22 4636, and Lifeline at 13 11 14.