The heartbroken mother of a 12-year-old schoolgirl has switched off her daughter’s life support after attempting to take her own life following relentless online bullying.
Young Ella Catley-Crawford from Manly in Brisbane died in hospital on Saturday a week after attempting to take her own life, following nine months of misery at the hands of Snapchat bullies who targeted her.
Helpless mother Julie Crawford, 55, says she knew her only daughter was suffering but couldn’t stop it, despite doing everything she could to protect her.
Ella’s torment began after she won an academic scholarship to a prestigious girls’ school in Brisbane, which she entered in February, but her family asked not to be identified.
“I was excited and nervous at the same time about going to high school because I didn’t know anyone there,” Crawford told Daily Mail Australia.
‘At first he seemed to be making new friends and enjoying his new school, but after a few weeks I noticed he was talking on the phone a lot more.
“It was never out of reach.”
Crawford had given Ella his old phone for Christmas to entertain her on the bus to and from school, but banned her from using apps like Tiktok and Snapchat.
Julie Crawford describes her daughter Ella as the love of her life and will honor her life by teaching others about the dangers of social media.
Talented Ella Catley-Crawford wins academic scholarship to high school
But she quickly saw her daughter glued to her tiny screen.
“At first I thought he was just texting his new friends,” she says. ‘I knew they had a Year Seven group chat, but it was Snapchat.
‘I made her delete it immediately even though she told me she was being safe.
“I don’t know how, but she made another account and hid it from me.”
In March, Crawford found Ella crying over messages she was receiving, but the worried mother couldn’t see them due to the app’s automatic deletion of messages.
“He said it was fine, he tried to play it down and even said he wanted to go to school, but I knew it was more,” the mother revealed.
“I banned his phone after 7pm and even physically took it from him and took it out of his room.”
Days later, Ms Crawford, a human resources manager, received a call from the school claiming concerns had been raised that Ella, then 11, had been bullying other students online.
“I told them ‘I don’t think so’, that they were wrong and they investigated it further,” he said.
Days later, three Year Seven girls were suspended for bullying Ella online.
She was excited to start high school after winning a prestigious scholarship.
Julie Crawford found Ella crying over the messages she was receiving, but the worried mother couldn’t see them due to the app’s automatic deletion of messages.
Julie Crawford, 55, says she knew her only daughter was suffering but couldn’t stop it, despite doing everything she could to protect her.
The school never gave Crawford the details of its findings, but the damage had been done, his mother said.
“I don’t know exactly what it was about,” he added.
‘People had posed as people they were not, a girl posed as a boy and the messages Ella sent them were shared with others.
“Her friends started pulling away from her and not inviting her to a birthday party and some of the kids said they needed a break, that it was too much, that she was too much.”
At the end of the first term in April, Mrs Crawford decided she had had enough and moved her “bright and quirky” daughter to another school.
But although Ella felt instantly happier and made new friends, she couldn’t escape the online abuse that followed.
“The new school was great, but they still got to it through applications,” the mother said.
‘She was so depressed that I took her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with depression and was on medication.
“But I made sure I was always around and that we had things to do to keep her busy.”
Crawford says that when she was distracted with things to look forward to, her “best friend and love of her life” was her happy old self.
But as soon as he was left with his phone, things changed quickly.
“Some days during the holidays he wouldn’t get out of bed,” his mother said. “I just hoped it wouldn’t get worse, but I never expected her to commit suicide.”
Julie Crawford found her daughter apparently lifeless on Sunday, October 27, and began resuscitation while waiting for paramedics.
She was on life support for a week before losing her fight on Sunday.
Crawford found her daughter apparently lifeless on Sunday, October 27, and began resuscitation while waiting for paramedics.
She was rushed to Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane and spent a week on life support before doctors confirmed there was no brain activity.
Queensland Police took Ella’s phone and iPad and are now investigating her death.
Her devastated mother was left heartbroken and says that without Ella she has nothing left, so she will now dedicate herself to raising awareness in the hopes of helping others.
She has created a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral costs, time off work to grieve and facilitate greater awareness.
“Bullying on social media is real,” the fundraising appeal adds.
‘If you’re asking if we’re angry, yes, we are. If you ask if we are sad, absolutely. And if you ask if the system let her down, it did.
‘This catastrophic reality has changed our family’s history forever.
“Social media and online presence pose real dangers, and despite our efforts to keep our children safe, technology can become an addictive lifeline, especially when they feel isolated.”
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36.