Excess lockdown homework blamed for 13-year-old's suicide

The stress of isolation coupled with schoolwork took a toll on a young boy in France. Police have launched an investigation after the unnamed 13-year-old was found hanged in his family home. Meanwhile, the mother of a 15-year-old boy encouraged parents to have conversations about mental health with their children after she also lost her son to suicide during the lockdown.

On Tuesday sometime after 3 pm local time, a young boy made a horrible discovery in his home. The child found his older brother hanged in his own room. He alerted his family, and emergency services were called to the home in Douai, north-east France.

Emergency services reached the home and tried to revive the teenager. Unable to resuscitate the boy, the medics declared him dead at the scene. A forensic doctor who examined the teen's body confirmed that the death was caused due to hanging. Even though the death was not ruled as suspicious, an investigation has been launched to find out what caused the boy to take the fatal step.

Actu17 pointed out that the boy's parents told the police he was overwhelmed with schoolwork. The fifth-grade student had been loaded with homework from his school which he had to complete during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The child's parents told the police that he had been struggling to cope with the amount of work all the children had been given by their school.

In Wales, the prolonged isolation also claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy. Wales Online reported the death of Kian Southway. The highly talented kickboxer died on March 31 in his home in Rhondda, South Wales.

Kian's mother, Jolene Southway, shared how she witnessed her son's personality change within days after the United Kingdom went into lockdown. He reportedly told his family that he was feeling isolated as he was forced to stay indoors away from his friends. The black belt-holding kickboxer's family has urged parents to open dialogue with their children during the lockdown. Jolene stated the importance of parents discussing mental health with their children and offer them support.