A devastated mother has spoken out about the tragic death of her 12-year-old daughter, who died by suicide on December 29 after being relentlessly cyberbullied. Adiel Boyd, from Australia, had been the target of ongoing online harassment, which her mother, Victoria, believes played a major role in her daughter's heartbreaking decision.
Ms Adiel, a bright and talented student at Aitkenvale State School, was the youngest of four children. Described as a “remarkable little girl” by her mother, Ms Adiel excelled academically and musically. She played several instruments and spoke three languages. Victoria Boyd described her daughter as “close to perfection,” saying how her warmth and intelligence left an impact on everyone she met. However, behind her accomplishments and loving nature, Ms Adiel was struggling with the devastating effects of online bullying.
Victoria Boyd talked about her deep concern over the dangers of social media, a space where parents often struggle to intervene. “Children are lost in social media, it's the most dangerous tool for a parent,” she said, acknowledging how difficult it was to monitor Ms Adiel's online interactions.
The bullying, which also occurred on school grounds, centered around jealousy and cruelty, said her mother. Victoria Boyd shared that the pre-teen was bullied by her friends for being “too beautiful” and that the harassment became overwhelming. “She just couldn't comprehend,” Victoria Boyd added.
Ms Adiel's older sister, Tameka, had started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses and support the grieving family. The campaign has already raised over $13,286 (Rs 11.3 lakh), and Tameka described her sister as someone who “left a birthmark on everybody that she knew in her 12 short years of life.”
Last year, a 10-year-old boy died by suicide in Indiana, US, after enduring persistent bullying at school. His family revealed that the bullying had started with mockery over his glasses and teeth and had escalated to physical abuse, including being beaten up on the school bus and having his glasses broken. The bullying had continued online, with threatening texts. Despite the family reporting the harassment to the school multiple times, the situation had not improved. The boy's parents believed the bullying, particularly an incident in a school bathroom, had led to his tragic decision.
