Mounties in B.C. investigating 12-year-old's death by suicide as sextortion case
CTV
Mounties in northern British Columbia are investigating after a 12-year-old boy died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following an apparent case of online sextortion.
Warning: This story is about a child who died by suiicide and may be distrubing to readers. A list of resources for anyone in crisis is included at the bottom of the article.
Mounties in northern British Columbia are investigating after a 12-year-old boy died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following an apparent case of online sextortion.
Prince George RCMP officers attended a home where the boy was found suffering a gunshot wound on Oct. 12, the detachment said in a news release Monday.
"The investigation revealed that the youth took his own life in response to online sextortion," police said.
Investigators are still working to identify a suspect in the case.
In the meantime, officers are urging parents and caregivers to speak with their children about the dangers of chatting online with people they do not know.
"While not every case of online sextortion will end in tragedy, the consequences of this kind of activity can follow a youth for their entire life, which needs to be something we talk about openly with our kids," Prince George RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jennifer Cooper said.
