The father of schoolgirl Mia Janin, who took her own life after being harassed on social media, claimed her school asked children to “delete messages” amid a police investigation into her death.
Young Mia Janin, 14, was found dead at her home in Harrow, north London, in March 2021 after being bullied by her classmates both online and at the Jewish Free School (JFS), where he was a tenth grade student.
A coroner’s court ruled that she had committed suicide “while still a child and in the process of maturing into adulthood” after having “experienced bullying behavior from some male students.”
His father Mariano, an Argentinian who moved to Britain in 2001 with his wife Marisa, has now claimed that the school “organized an assembly and asked the children to delete the messages”.
In 2022, it was reported that the school removed some of the children from the Snapchat group and told them to delete it; He denied it in a statement before the investigation.
Young Mia Janin, 14, was found dead at her home in Harrow, north London, in March 2021 after being bullied by her peers both online and at the Jewish Free School (JFS), where she was Year 10 student.
Speaking to the BBC on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, her father Mariano stated that the school had organized an assembly to ask schoolchildren to delete the messages.
In 2022, it was reported that the school (pictured) removed some of the children from the Snapchat group and told them to delete it; He denied it in a statement before the investigation
speaking to bBC Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, said: ‘I didn’t know anything about this online world. They say she was harassed, we found a screenshot that said she was prepared to be seriously harassed, naming the boys who were harassing her.
‘They organized an assembly at the school and asked the children to delete the messages.
“My common sense says that if you have a police investigation and you have this potential group, you should notify the police; maybe this group of kids has information on their phone, but that’s what they did.”
Kuenssberg also said the Metropolitan Police lost Mia’s phone “for a long time” but are now making arrangements to return it to her family.
He added that the school said: “The coroner’s report was not a reflection of how things are at the school today.”
The inquest into Mia’s death, held at Barnet Coroner’s Court, found that she had been brutally mocked in a Snapchat group of 60 boys after posting a video on TikTok in which she defiantly told her oppressors that she they will leave in peace.
One boy who gave a statement to police, which was read out in court, said his sick tormentors photoshopped the girls’ faces into pornographic images.
Janin says Mia, who had ambitions to be a doctor or architect, had struggled to fit in with others at school and had been happier in lockdown when learning remotely.
The inquest into Mia’s death, held at Barnet Coroner’s Court, found that she had been brutally mocked in a Snapchat group of 60 boys after posting a video on TikTok in which she defiantly told her oppressors that she they will leave in peace.
Mia, who had ambitions to be a doctor or an architect, had struggled to integrate with others at school and had been happier locked down when learning remotely.
Two handwritten notes were found on his bed, written on pages torn from his diary, which was also found in the bedroom.
He added that she came home after her first day after lockdown in a bad mood and had asked her parents if they could homeschool her for the rest of the year.
The inquest later heard a voice note she had sent to a friend that night, in which she said: “I am currently mentally preparing myself to be harassed tomorrow.” Her parents found her body in her room the next morning, March 12.
Two handwritten notes were found on his bed written on pages torn from his diary, which was also found in the bedroom.
One was addressed to his family and the other to one of his best friends.
In the note to his family he wrote: “I just wanted to let you know that I love you very much.” They both raised me well.
‘I have learned many things, I love you all very much. However, I know this decision is the right one for me.
‘On earth I never felt connected. I felt like leaving for a while. I know this is a shock to you.
JFS bosses were said to have “denied” bullying taking place in their corridors, the inquest heard, but the coroner accepted evidence from the institute which he said he was not aware of.
Despite this, the hearing was told that Mia and her friends were harassed at school, on the street and on the bus, hit with soccer balls while children insulted her; Her tormentors called her group of friends the “suicide squad.”
Despite this, the hearing was told that Mia and her friends were bullied at school, on the street and on the bus, and hit with footballs while children called her names.
Jewish Free School says it has made changes since Mia’s death
JFS bosses were said to have “denied” bullying taking place in their corridors, the inquest was told, but the coroner accepted evidence saying he was unaware.
During the inquest, Mr Janin described Mia as “fantastic… she was very happy, she had a good sense of humour, she was beautiful, she was very kind, very creative”.
Months after her death, Ofsted inspectors deemed the school’s safeguarding “inadequate”, noting that students were reporting “sexual harassment, including via social media”. The director, Rachel Fink, left.
He concluded the note: ‘Leave my things to my friends, please. I love you a lot.’
During the inquest, Mr Janin described Mia as “fantastic… she was very happy, she had a good sense of humour, she was beautiful, she was very kind, very creative”.
He said that “school is not just for the curriculum” and that the school needed to promote “clear values” of respect, adding: “Unfortunately, I am a victim of this failed system.”
Asked if he would like to see those responsible brought to court, he told the Telegraph: ‘Yes, but it’s not about revenge… They need to understand for themselves what they did. I don’t know how they will cope with this throughout their lives.’
The Free Jewish School says it has made changes since Mia’s death.
Dr David Moody, headteacher of the school, said after the ruling: “Although I was not in post at the time of Mia’s death, I can only promise that we will continue to do everything we can to incorporate all the changes that have been made. “. implemented during the last three years.
“Mia remains a much missed member of our school community and our thoughts remain with the family.”
Janin previously spoke about the agony of burying her daughter and her life partner within months of each other after she died of leukemia at age 59.
Mia and Marisa are buried side by side in a Jewish cemetery in Israel; Janin says she can hardly believe she made the same trip to Tel Aviv with the bodies of her loved ones twice in such a short time.
MailOnline has contacted the Jewish Free School for comment.
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