EXCLUSIVE
A 14-year-old schoolgirl who tragically took her own life after suffering mental health problems exacerbated by bullying has left a heartbreaking six-word message for her devastated family as she is remembered as a ‘ball of awesomeness’.
Isla Marschke was discovered by her mother Christie Jacobson in the backyard of their Bundaberg South home in Queensland on Tuesday evening.
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,” the message read.
Mrs Jacobsen said she had faced an uphill battle to get help for her daughter, who had struggled with ‘existing mental health issues’ for years.
“I live in a regional town and have been desperately looking for a child psychologist to help my daughter for months,” Ms Jacobsen told Daily Mail Australia.
“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.”
Isla Marschke (pictured) was discovered by her mother, Christie Jacobson, in the backyard of their Bundaberg South home in Queensland on Tuesday evening
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 (Picture: Isla and her mother, Christie)
‘But there was no real build-up to it and we are all absolutely devastated.’
Ms Jacobsen, a piano teacher and performing artist, called for more funding for mental health services in regional areas.
Just two hours before Isla was found, she had been happily chatting at home with her older sister Ava, 16, about their upcoming birthdays and the presents they both wanted.
Ava, who was the last person to speak to Isla, then left for her job as a pharmacy assistant at Pharmacy Warehouse before her stepfather arrived to tell her the terrible news shortly before 6pm.
“Isla and I had just been talking about normal things,” Ava told this publication.
“My birthday is next Friday and hers is on the 24th, so she was just talking about how she got me a gift. She seemed really good.”
Isla, who worked in a local fish and chip shop, had been a victim of bullying and had left traditional school in July to do 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,” Ava added.
“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 it’s getting so out of hand.”
“They were just horrible to her.”
Isla, who worked in a local fish and chip shop, had been a victim of bullying and had left traditional school in July to do distance learning as she struggled to fit in
Just two hours before Isla was found, she had been happily chatting at home with her older sister Ava, 16, about their upcoming birthdays and the presents they both wanted.
Isla, who had suffered from mental illness for several years before the bullying started and had been diagnosed with anxiety, OCD and autism, seemed to improve dramatically after switching 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.
Isla was remembered for her ‘quirky’ personality and was described as a ‘ball of awesomeness’
A GoFundMe page set up by Ava to help cover the costs of her funeral has raised more than $20,000 so far
“She just had such a really great sense of humor that not many people understood because she was just so funny and so different,” Mr. McLucas 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 so it could 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 $20,000 to date.
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