A tragedy with no one to blame: Queensland mum’s heartbreaking message after her little girl Isla Marschke took her own life

The mother of a teenage girl who committed suicide has revealed she does not blame anyone for the “terrible tragedy”.

Isla Marschke, 14, was discovered by her mother Christie Jacobson in the backyard of their Bundaberg South home in Queensland on the evening of October 8.

Mrs Jacobson desperately performed CPR but it was too late to save Isla, who had left a short note in her room alongside her phone password.

“I’m sorry, I love you mom,” it read.

Ms Jacobsen previously told Daily Mail Australia she had struggled to get professional help for her daughter’s mental health issues in recent years.

This situation was exacerbated by “some family dynamic issues” and incidents of bullying, Ms Jacobsen added.

But now, in a sad social media post, the heartbroken mother has tried to draw a line under online speculation about what may have contributed to her daughter’s decision to take her life.

“Isla’s death is a terrible tragedy,” Ms Jacobsen wrote.

“She had a combination of factors that led her to make the decisions she made.

‘We do not blame ANY thing, anyone or any service.

‘I experienced major problems in our regional city getting timely help from professionals and was constantly told there were restrictions due to her age or waiting lists. I wanted to emphasize instead of accuse.

‘We don’t blame anyone. We have to find a way forward now.”

Ms Jacobsen, a piano teacher and performing artist, previously called for more funding for mental health services in regional areas.

“I live in a regional town and for months I have been desperately searching for a child psychologist who could help my daughter,” she told this publication last week.

“But I was constantly rejected because she was too young or their books were full. Aftercare was virtually impossible. I can’t tell you how many times I would ask for help and be told, “No, no, no.”

“While this was happening, she was also being bullied and experiencing issues with family dynamics.”

‘But there was no real build-up to it and we are all absolutely devastated.’

Just two hours before Isla was found, she had been sitting at home with her older sister Ava, 16, chatting about their upcoming birthdays and the presents they both wanted.

Isla, who worked in a local fish and chip shop, had been a victim of bullying and had left Shalom College, a Catholic school in Bundaberg, in July to take up distance learning as she struggled to fit in.

‘She had been struggling for a while. Last year, two of her best former friends started bullying her. One of them posted TikTok videos calling her a rat and stuff,” her sister Ava said.

“I’ve had to message them before to leave Isla alone, and I’ve had to speak to them at school before to leave Isla alone, because things are getting so out of hand.”

“They were just horrible to her.”

Shalom College principal Daniel McMahon told another publication last week that Isla “undoubtedly” suffered from bullying at school.

But McMahon echoed Isla’s mother’s comments by stating there was no single cause behind her death.

“Isla’s story is tragic, but it’s not just about bullying,” McMahon said.

‘As her mother Christie noted in the media today, mental illness is a very real problem and the lack of adequate support services for individuals and families is a real problem.

‘She was in pain from multiple and complex problems, as is the case with many people.

“Trying to pin the blame on an individual or individuals may provide some satisfaction for some, but it is neither helpful nor accurate.

‘I prefer to put energy into helping young people have the courage to seek help when they need it, and to have that help immediately available.’

Isla, who had suffered from anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism for years before the bullying started, but her mental state seemed to have improved dramatically after the switch to homeschooling.

“She was thriving, she wanted to be a leader and her schoolwork was getting better, out of sight,” said Andy McLucas, Isla’s stepfather.

‘She absolutely loved it. She had found her place, so it was such a shock.”

Mr McLucas, who is divorced from Isla’s mother, said she had gone through ‘several periods of counseling and conversations with therapists’.

“Once we removed the school element, she did really well,” Mr. McLucas said.

‘WWhen she got down it was very noticeable. But This wasn’t one of those times, she just seemed a little flat.”

Mr McLucas, who said Isla was a talented musician and singer, paid tribute to her ‘quirky’ personality.

“She just had such a really great sense of humor that not many people understood because she was just so funny and so different,” he said.

“She was so talented. She had a beautiful voice, loved to sing and could play any instrument. She was just a ball of awesomeness.”

Her voice was so good that her new school recently asked her to record the national anthem to be played at conventions.

“She was so empathetic to those she loved,” Mr McLucas added.

“And when she liked you, she really liked you. She was very picky and didn’t get along with everyone, but when she did, she just loved deeply, and read you. She just didn’t know how loved she was.”

A GoFundMe pagewhich was set up by Ava to cover the costs of her funeral, has raised over $60,000 to date.

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