Boy who died in apparent suicide and loved YouTube, becomes cautionary tale for parents
|
Click to Listen Now
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The death of the 8-year-old boy in a suspected suicide became a cautionary tale, warning parents of the dangers of social media when his mother revealed she had denied him watching YouTube the moments before he was found.
“These devices are addicting,” one social media user Carline Mcfarlane said. “I had to take away the tablet from my daughter. That’s all she wants to stay on. We as parents need to realize when these things become addicting and find ways to ease them from being on them too long.”
Bianca Simpson advised other parents, “Get your children outside and break the addiction they have for electronics.”
Mariano Chery, the third grader was watching television with his mother and siblings on Thursday when his mother suggested that they watch another movie. Mariano though, opted for YouTube instead. When his mother denied him, Mariano then retorted, “Y’all never let me watch what I want to watch’ and sulked to his room. He was found, ten minutes later unresponsive.
Crystal Taylor said her son reacts similarly when he is without his phone.
Monalisa Rolle reminisced that in times past, children’s playtime included activities like reading books and playing on the outside. Now, times have changed. Digital devices and social media have taken over daily life.
Mariano enjoyed watching TikTok, YouTube, and playing Roblox, according to his mother. Since his unfortunate death, she wants to limit her other children’s time spent on devices and encourage other activities.
Most social media apps require users to be 13 years or older, but many children under that age, still use the apps, and without an adult monitoring what they are consuming.
Some parents argue that some social media apps expose their children to various ills and could fuel suicide.
“I sat and watched Roblox one day. I was mortified. The theme was about suicide. The messages are repetitive almost to indoctrinate the children,” Ana Azariah said.
Now, her children are only permitted to watch TV on a big screen where she can monitor what they consume, and she has limited their tablet and cell phone use.
“We need to protect our children’s eye and ear gates.”
Pediatricians recommend children only spend up to two hours a day on social media with more time spent engaged in physical activities and face-to-face interactions.
