A grieving father whose son committed suicide warns parents about the dangers of the Internet.
Brett Allred, 50, searched through Riley’s phone after his death in February, hoping to find his son’s happiest memories, but what he found made him “vomit.”
Riley, 23, had screenshots of a website with step-by-step instructions for suicide methods “as specific as a recipe for making soufflé.”
Allred shared his story in the hope that parents will pay more attention to their children’s Internet activity so that they will be aware if, like his son, they come across a site that facilitates suicide.
A grieving father whose son committed suicide has shared a warning to parents about the dangers of the internet. Brett Allred, 50, searched through Riley’s phone after his death in February, hoping to find his son’s happiest memories, but what he found made him ‘vomit’
Born in Oklahoma, Riley was known among his friends as a protector, standing up for them and offering help when needed.
He attended Oklahoma State University and the University of Arizona to study cybersecurity. His parents were known as someone who was cheerful and caring and always wore a hoodie.
Riley committed suicide on February 23.
Allred told USA Today that the screenshots on Riley’s phone were nearly identical to the manner in which he committed suicide.
“If he hadn’t seen this, he’d still be alive,” Allred said. “He wouldn’t have done this if he hadn’t known it would guarantee success.”
Allred has been living with a tremendous amount of guilt since Riley’s death, blaming himself for not checking his son’s phone.
Riley’s obituary states that he “had everything to live for, but struggled with depression and dealing with life’s difficulties.”
Allred said Riley lived in one of his homes in Oklahoma, but began to neglect his household chores and became isolated from his friends.
“It’s just so strange because even though I’ve noticed this behavior, it doesn’t cross your mind and you think, ‘Oh, my child is suicidal,'” Allred told USA Today.
Riley, 23, had screenshots of a website with step-by-step instructions on suicide methods, “as specific as a recipe for making soufflé”
Allred said the screenshots on Riley’s phone were nearly identical to the way he committed suicide
The father gave the son an ultimatum: he had to continue running the house or he had to move.
Riley decided to move in with his mother and stepfather, whose names are unknown, and then took his own life.
“My worst fear has come true,” Allred said.
“My ex-wife, his mother, she did everything I did. Tried to help him. Tough love, but also easy love. We tried to be soft on him, then we tried to be hard on him.
“Just nothing seemed to work. I got him professional help. Nothing seemed to work.”
He doesn’t know exactly when or how Riley found the website, but such sites are all over the Internet.
A 2020 study from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, found that 136 English-language websites provided instructions on how to commit suicide.
The New York Times published an investigation that found that a specific website, which the publication did not name, receives six million views per month, four times as many as the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
A report released last week found that the US has the sixth highest suicide rate in the world
At least 45 suicides in multiple countries have been linked to the site, most of them in their 30s or younger.
A report released last week found that the US has the sixth highest suicide rate in the world.
According to a global ranking by the international prescription drug service Universal Drugstore, South Korea has the highest suicide rate among men and women. Croatia and Australia are in 10th place.
Suicide has become the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., with rates rising 16 percent between 2011 and 2022. The highest rate so far was reported in 2022, with a record high of 49,369 suicides.
While many believe it is more common in adults, a study published July 30 found that the number of deaths among primary school-age children has nearly doubled over the past 20 years.
Researchers examined the death certificates of American preteens, ages eight to 12, from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2022.
They found that the rate rose from about 3.3 per million deaths in 2001 to more than nine per million in 2021, an increase of more than 170 percent.
Research suggests that a prolonged, worsening mental health crisis among young people is leading to a rise in suicides. The crisis has resulted in record high rates of hopelessness, depression and anxiety.