The heartbroken mother of a 12-year-old schoolgirl has turned off her daughter’s life support after she tried to kill herself following relentless online bullying.
Young Ella Catley-Crawford from Manly, Brisbane, died in hospital on Saturday, a week after she tried to kill herself following nine months of misery at the hands of Snapchat bullies who caught her.
Helpless mother Julie Crawford, 55, says she knew her only child was suffering but was powerless to stop it, despite trying everything to protect her daughter.
Ella’s torment began after she won an academic scholarship to a prestigious girls’ school in Brisbane, which she attended in February, but her family has asked not to be identified.
“She was both excited and nervous about going to high school because she didn’t know anyone there,” Ms Crawford told Daily Mail Australia.
‘At first she seemed to be making new friends and enjoying her new school, but after a few weeks I noticed she was on the phone a lot more.
“It was never out of her control.”
Mrs Crawford had given Ella her old phone for Christmas to keep her entertained on the bus to and from school, but banned her from using apps such as Tiktok and Snapchat.
Julie Crawford describes her daughter Ella as the love of her life and will honor her life by educating others about the dangers of social media.
The talented Ella Catley-Crawford won an academic scholarship for high school
But she soon saw that her daughter was glued to the small screen.
“At first I thought she was just texting her new friends,” she says. ‘ I knew they had a Year Seven group chat, but it was Snapchat.
‘I had her remove it straight away, even though she told me she was safe.
“I don’t know how, but she created another account and hid it from me.”
In March, Ms Crawford found Ella in tears over the messages she was receiving, but the worried mother could not see them as the app automatically deleted messages.
“She said she was fine, tried to downplay it and even said she wanted to go to school, but I knew it was more,” the mother revealed.
“I banned her phone after 7pm and even physically took it away from her and removed it from her room.”
Days later, Ms Crawford, an HR manager, received a call from the school claiming concerns had been raised that Ella, who was 11 at the time, had bullied other pupils online.
“I told them, ‘I don’t think so,’ that they were wrong and they investigated further,” she said.
Days later, three seventh-grade girls were suspended for bullying Ella online.
Ella was excited to start high school after winning a prestigious scholarship
Julie Crawford found Ella in tears over the messages she received, but the concerned mother couldn’t see them as the app automatically deleted messages
Julie Crawford, 55, says she knew her only child was suffering but was powerless to stop it, despite trying everything to protect her daughter
The school never gave Ms. Crawford the details of their findings, but the damage had been done, her mother said.
“I don’t know exactly what it was all about,” she added.
‘People had pretended to be people they weren’t, a girl pretended to be a boy and messages Ella sent to them were shared with others.
“Friends started to pull away from her and she wasn’t invited to a birthday party, with some kids saying they needed a break, that it was too much, that she was too much.”
Towards the end of the first term in April, Ms Crawford decided she had had enough and moved her “bright and strong-willed” daughter to another school.
But although Ella was immediately happier and made new friends, she couldn’t escape the online abuse that followed her.
“The new school was great, but they still reached her through the apps,” the mother said.
‘Ella was so down that I took her to the doctors and she was diagnosed with depression and was on medication.
“But I made sure I was always there and that we had things to do to keep her occupied.”
Ms. Crawford says that when she was distracted by things to look forward to, her “best friend and love of her life” was her former happy self.
But once she left her phone behind, things quickly changed.
“Some days during the holidays she wouldn’t get out of bed,” her mother said. “I just hoped it wouldn’t get worse, but I never expected her to commit suicide.”
Julie Crawford found her daughter apparently lifeless on Sunday, October 27, and began CPR while she waited for paramedics.
Ella was on a ventilator for a week before losing her fight on Sunday
Mrs Crawford found her daughter apparently lifeless on Sunday, October 27, and began CPR while she waited for paramedics.
Ella was rushed to Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane and was on a ventilator for a week before doctors confirmed there was no brain activity.
Queensland Police have seized Ella’s phone and iPad and are now investigating her death.
Her shattered mother is heartbroken and says that without Ella she has nothing left, so she will now dedicate herself to raising awareness in the hope that she can help others.
She has one GoFundMe to help pay for funeral costs, take time off to grieve and raise awareness.
“Bullying on social media is real,” the fundraising appeal adds.
‘If you ask if we are angry: yes, we are. If you ask if we are sad: absolutely. And if you’re asking if the system failed her: it did.
“This catastrophic reality has changed our family’s history forever.
‘Social media and online presence pose real dangers, and despite our best efforts to protect our children, technology can become an addictive lifeline, especially if they feel isolated.’
If you or someone you know needs support, please contact Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36.