School support after teen suicide

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6764835.stm

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A minister who has been liaising with the families of three teenagers who took their own lives has said there is no evidence of a suicide pact.

Reverend Brian Harper was speaking after the deaths of three 15-year-old boys in the Laurelvale area of County Armagh within a month.

The most recent death was Friday night. The Samaritans have warned of the dangers of speculating about the cases.

The school said it was working with the education board to provide support.

All three of the teenagers were pupils at Craigavon Senior High School.

Principal David Mehaffey said: "First and foremost, these are tragedies for families and local communities but the school is also a community and everyone here has been deeply affected by the loss of our three students.

"We are also aware that this has had a major impact on the school community, our young people, their families and the staff.

"The school is trying to provide all of the support which it can in conjunction with the officers from the Southern Education and Library Board's Critical Incident Team, who have been tremendously helpful in recent days."

Reverend Brian Harper said while there was no explanation for what had happened, he did not think there had been a suicide pact, but that rumours were causing problems.

"The community has gone into freefall hysteria over the weekend," said the local minister.

"Parents have been told that their children are dead. Children are receiving text messages that their best friends are dead.

"They are going absolutely hysterical, and once text messaging starts, it flies through the whole community.

"There hasn't been a single bit of truth to any of the rumours."