Surge in child suicide cases prompts deep concern from Indonesian Child Protection Commission
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has expressed deep concern over a series of child suicide cases occurring across various regions of the country.
“This is a matter of shared concern. Over the past two weeks, successive incidents of children taking their own lives have occurred,” said KPAI member Diyah Puspitarini when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday.
Her remarks were made in response to a child suicide case in Demak Regency, Central Java.
KPAI has drawn attention to problems in the parenting approaches adopted by the victims’ parents, which have had a psychological impact on the children.
“The incident in Demak was caused by negative parenting from the parents. The child experienced fragility and had not yet developed resilience, leading the child to decide to end their life,” said Diyah Puspitarini.
The commission has also urged law enforcement authorities to uncover the causes behind the victims’ deaths.
“When a child dies under unnatural circumstances, the cause of death must be determined so that everything is clear and there is no stigma attached to the child victim,” said Diyah Puspitarini.
Previously, a 13-year-old girl took her own life in Demak Regency, Central Java, on Thursday evening (12 February). The victim’s death was first discovered by her mother.
Meanwhile, investigators from the Demak Police found screenshots of WhatsApp messages from the victim containing harsh conversations allegedly from the victim’s mother.
In addition to the Demak case, three other children have been recorded as having taken their own lives within the past three weeks.
A boy with the initials YBR (10) took his own life in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Thursday (29 January), allegedly due to the family’s economic hardship.
Two weeks later, a 14-year-old girl allegedly took her own life in Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan. The tragic incident claiming the teenage girl’s life occurred on Thursday (12 February). The victim was first discovered by her aunt.
Police are currently still investigating the case, including looking into allegations of bullying.
Subsequently, on Monday (16 February), a 17-year-old senior secondary school student took her own life at her home in East Flores Regency, NTT.