Suicide of Lindsay in the Pas-de-Calais: what we know about this case of school harassment, in which five people are indicted

This is a new drama linked to school bullying. Lindsay, 13, committed suicide on the evening of May 12 at her home. She had been harassed for many months and her mother had alerted the National Education. Four minors were indicted for school harassment leading to suicide and an adult for death threats, announced, Thursday, May 25, the prosecutor of Béthune (Pas-de-Calais) in a press release. Here is what we know about this case.

Incessant harassment since the start of the school year

Lindsay was educated in 4th grade at the Bracke-Desrousseaux college in Vendin-le-Vieil (Pas-de-Calais), according to the rectorate of the Lille academy. The teenager killed herself at home on the evening of May 12. His mother, Betty, testified Thursday on RTL and told that his daughter had been a victim as soon as he returned to“repeated insults” at school and “on social networks”.

For her, “jealousy” of his comrades is the source of this harassment. “Lindsay was pretty, flirtatious, she had it all!”assures his mother to The voice of the North. “When she took remarks, she said to me: ‘It doesn’t matter, I don’t care’, whereas deep down inside, it touched her. She sent me a lot of messages that she was not well, that she didn’t really want to be there anymore”also told a friend of Lindsay to RMC. “The last week, Lindsay was in her bubble, angry”continues the mother of the teenager.

“She was angry with the whole world, she didn’t want to talk to us too much anymore. Even with me, she was very angry, I didn’t understand.”

Lindsay’s mother

on RTL

“We haven’t lived since May 12. We try to do it for the childrenBetty still confides to RTL. But, I’m not going to lie to you, I’m devastated. I’m living in hell, it’s horrible. I’m angry, I feel sad, everything is mixed up.“A support cell has been in place since May 15 in the college and a white march was organized on Wednesday morning in memory of the young girl.

Several reports and sanctions

When Lindsay’s grades began to drop, her mother reacted, between appointments with the psychologist and reports to the academic services. “I even wrote to the President of the Republic!”entrusted to The voice of the North the teenager’s grandmother, who in February had found a goodbye letter from Lindsay under her bed. “I thought it had calmed down. But she continued to be harassed day and night! She was exhausted!”says the girl’s mother.

A “first harassment situation” had been reported, “processed by the establishment”, specifies for its part the rectorate to AFP. This alert led to “a harassment commission and the appropriate sanctions had been pronounced”according to the same source. “A student” implicated at that time had then left the establishment.

Five people charged in connection with the investigation

“I would like everyone who hurt my daughter to pay for it”, said Lindsay’s mother on RTL. In this case, a judicial inquiry was opened on May 20 into the heads of “school harassment” whose “effect a deterioration of living conditions altering health and having led the victim to suicide”.

Four minors were charged with “school bullying leading to suicide”, announced the Béthune prosecutor in a press release. An adult has also been indicted for “death threats”, he added. He specifies that these five people were placed under judicial control, in accordance with the requisitions of the prosecution.

The minister calls for “collectively fighting” the “scourge” of school bullying

“Thinking of Lindsay, her family, her friends. We keep fighting,” tweeted Wednesday evening the Minister of National Education, Pap Ndiaye, on the occasion of the presentation of the No to Harassment prize, which rewards “the creation of a poster or a video” on this theme. “Bullying at school is a scourge that we must fight collectively: for the well-being of our students, for their safety, to live together.”

Bullying at school is a scourge that we must fight collectively: for the well-being of our students, for their safety, to live together. As I present the No to Harassment award today, I am thinking of Lindsay, her family, her friends. We continue the fight. pic.twitter.com/Jyaa8K0cG6

— Pap Ndiaye (@PapNdiaye) May 24, 2023

In recent months, several teenage suicides have reminded us of the difficult fight against bullying at school. The school institution has tried in recent years to mobilize on this issue. A prevention device, the pHARE program, tested since 2019 in elementary schools and colleges of six academies, must complete its generalization this year. According to the ministry, 91% of colleges and 64% of schools are already enrolled in this program, in addition to other anti-harassment measures, such as 3020 emergency help numbers (for families and victims). and 3018 (cyberbullying).

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If you need help, if you are worried or if you are confronted with the suicide of a member of your entourage, there are anonymous listening services. Line suicide listening can be reached 24/7 on 01 45 39 40 00. Other information is also available on the website of the Ministry of Solidarity and Health.

To report any situation of harassment or cyberbullying, whether you are a victim or a witness, there are free, anonymous and confidential telephone numbers: 3020 (harassment) and 3018 (cyberharassment)reachable from Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Further information is also available on the Ministry of National Education website.