Schoolgirl Mia Janin, 14, took own life after 'relentless bullying' as boys tormented her online and in playground
26 January 2024, 15:41 | Updated: 26 January 2024, 15:47
Schoolgirl Mia Janin took her own life after suffering relentless bullying from boys at school, an inquest has concluded.
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The 14-year-old pupil at the Jewish Free School (JFS) in north west London was found dead at her family home in Harrow on March 12 2021.
Her family released a voice note she sent on WhatsApp to a friend that month, when she was about to return to school after lockdown, which said: "Tomorrow's going to be a rough day, I'm taking deep breaths in and out.
"I'm currently mentally preparing myself to get bullied tomorrow."
She was last seen alive by her parents as she said goodnight to them at 10pm on March 11 2021.
Mariano Janin, her father, has now said his life "is gone", having had Mia taken from him and later lost his wife Marisa to an aneurysm after she got leukaemia.
"I'm still alive, physically, I have a heartbeat - but in other ways, my life is gone," he says.
"I will never see my beautiful daughter grow up. I will never meet her kids, her grandchildren. There's no future for me, there's no future."
Mia's inquest at Barnet Coroner's Court heard how a group of boys picked on her in class, on buses and at home.
Male pupils kicked footballs at her and her friends, who were branded "Suicide Squad" by bullies.
A Snapchat group chat called "Panacha", which contained more than 60 boys from JFS and potentially other schools, was known to other children.
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The boys used it to post photos of girls at the school to superimpose their faces on porn stars' bodies to mock them, and would share nude photos of female classmates after pressuring them to share images.
Mia and her friends never saw the chat but knew they were targeted because it was brought up by boys at the school.
Martha Gentely, Mia's friend, said the Year 10 pupil was "very headstrong" about it but the bullying was "relentless".
However, North London coroner Tony Murphy previously said no evidence had emerged that images of Mia had been shared in the chat apart from one TikTok video.
She posted the TikTok before her deathm criticising two of her bullies, and that was shared to the Snapchat group - leaving her anxious. She sent the WhatsApp voice note after hearing about it being shared.
Mia had asked her parents if she could move school when she got home on March 11. Marisa said she could be homeschooled for the rest of that academic year and they could look into moving her after.
But Marisa discovered Mia's body at 6.50am on March 12 2021. She had hanged herself.
Two letters were left behind to her family and friends which said she had decided to take her own life.
The former JFS deputy head Rabbi Howard Cohen said there was "some talk" at the school about "boys-only bravado groups" sharing images of girls, but there was no reason to believe they were related to Mia.
He spoke to members of one group chat who disbanded it.
Mr Murphy said: "Mia's secondary school has introduced systemic changes following her death.
"Mia is much missed by her loving family, caring friends and the wider community."
Those feeling distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
