The family of Blake Gallier, 13, who died at her home in Northfleet, Kent, on October 30 last year, believes she took her own life after being exposed to social media videos that normalized suicide. Her mother, Gemma Best, stated that she was unaware of the extent of the "disturbing" content her daughter had been viewing online.
Best described Blake as a "happy and funny" child who showed no outward signs of mental health struggles. "Blake was really happy. She was an extrovert; she was funny; she was hilarious; she was the life and soul of the party. Blake was a confident, happy extrovert who was just phenomenal," Best said.
However, after Blake's death, her family discovered she had been reposting "worrying" content on her phone. This discovery has led Best and Blake's older sister, Tayla Gallier, to support the "Raise The Age" campaign, which advocates for a ban on social media for individuals under 16.
"Children that age are on their phones, and I think social media was a big issue for Blake," Best commented. "From what I have gathered, Blake reposted a lot of worrying stuff, and I was not aware of that. I never realised what the content was. All her friends had phones; the age for social media was 13, and I stupidly never researched it." She expressed her conviction, stating, "After going through what we have gone through, I 100 per cent support the social media ban. I was not a parent who was convinced until this happened. Now I think, 'why did she need that phone?' If Blake had gone out more and not been on her phone so much or in her bedroom, she might not have done what she did. Hindsight is a wonderful thing."
Tayla Gallier, 19, shared her perspective on her younger sister: "She was the youngest; I am the eldest sister, so if anyone knows that dynamic, they know it can be very challenging at times. She was annoying. She was always stealing my things. She was jarring, but she was amazing. She was very funny; she was the life of the party. You could hear her from a mile away. She was completely full of life."
In June, the U.K. government announced plans to ban social media for children under 16, with applications like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram potentially included. This measure is intended to pass before Christmas, with the ban expected to take effect by spring 2027, aiming to protect young people from online harm and reduce unhealthy late-night phone use.
Blake's mother and sister have established a charity in her name, "Blake's Pink Promise." The charity is in the process of being registered and has already provided counseling for 76 pupils in four Gravesend schools and for two adults. They are collaborating with Blake's former schools to identify students aged seven to 13 who may require support. Best believes it is crucial to offer support to children as young as seven, as she suspects Blake may have been struggling from an early age.
"It could happen to anyone. I would love to say it will never happen again, but I can't," Best stated. Gallier added, "When you are that young, you do not know what is happening to you and do not have the capacity to see that you need help. I think it became very apparent after Blake's passing that there is a lot more going on than what we realise, and a lot of young people do not have the support that they might need. Our whole lives were turned upside down, so even if we help one child not feel the way Blake must have, [that] makes doing this every day worth it. We want to prevent anyone else from going through the same thing that we have had to. We want to help people in the way we wish she was helped."
Blake's inquest is scheduled to be held later this year. For confidential support, the Samaritans can be contacted at 116 123 or via their website. The CALM ZONE website also offers support resources.