Periscope Suicide: Teenager Live-Streamed Own Death

Distraught Teenager ‘Live-Streamed Own Suicide On Periscope’

French authorities have opened an investigation after a teenager allegedly live-streamed video of her suicide on the popular app Periscope.

The 19-year-old threw herself under a commuter train in the suburban Egly station, south of Paris, after claiming she had been raped and naming her attacker during filming, the local prosecutor said.

The teenager, whose name was not released, sent a text message to a friend of her attacker a few hours before she died on Tuesday, French prosecutor Eric Lallement told the Associated Press.

The girl's phone has been seized by police (file picture)
The girl's phone has been seized by police (file picture)
Atsushi Yamada via Getty Images

"In the text message, she mentions violence and a rape... and claims she is ending her days because of the harm that the young man had done to her," Lallement said.

The teen's video messages and mobile phone have been seized by the police. An autopsy and toxicology and drug tests will be conducted over the next few days.

The video has been removed from Periscope, a cellphone live video-streaming app particularly popular among young people, but YouTube users posted what they said were excerpts. The suicide scene itself is not visible on YouTube.

Periscope, owned by Twitter, did not publicly comment.

The French case is only the latest one linked to Periscope.

Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393

Get Connected is a free advice service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@getconnected.org.uk

HopeLine runs a confidential advice helpline if you are a young person at risk of suicide or are worried about a young person at risk of suicide. Mon-Fri 10-5pm and 7pm-10pm. Weekends 2pm-5pm on 0800 068 41 41

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