This is Leicestershire -- A grieving dad has told how his teenage daughter hanged herself after being bullied for months by internet trolls on a website linked to a string of suicides. David Smith, of Lutterworth, has demanded action against the Ask.fm site, where 14-year-old Hannah turned for help about eczema but was subjected to sickening anonymous posts telling her to "die". The tragic youngster was found hanged in her bedroom by her sister Jo, 16, on Friday. Leicestershire police have taken possession of Hannah's computer and mobile phone. A police spokesman said: "Officers were called to an address in Lutterworth at around 6.45am on Friday following a report of a body being found at the location. "The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner." An inquest into Hannah's death was opened and adjourned this morning at Leicester Town Hall, in a hearing that lasted less than five minutes. Coroner Catherine Mason confirmed Hannah died on Friday at her home in Lutterworth. She said Hannah had been formally identified by her father and that a post mortem examination had been carried out. Mrs Mason said: "Unfortunately at this time the pathologist was unable to give a precise cause of death so I am not in a position to proceed." She adjourned the inquest to a date as yet unset but signed paperwork to allow Hannah's family to begin with her funeral arrangements. No members of Hannah's family were present at the hearing. Internet trolls have even hijacked Hannah's Facebook tribute page with more attacks. One branded her a "coward" for taking her own life. David, 44, told the Mirror: "How many more teenagers will kill themselves because of online abuse before something is done? "These sick people are just able to go online and hide behind a mask of anonymity while they abuse vulnerable teenagers. "We've lost Hannah in the most horrendous way imaginable. It's time something was done so that no other family has to go through this. "When you're sitting behind a computer screen you can say whatever you want and there's no comeback. But these trolls need to realise that they are affecting people's lives in the most horrific ways imaginable. "If you're bullied in the workplace something is done about it and if you're bullied at school something is done about it. So why, when people are being bullied on social networking sites, is nothing being done about it?" Lorry driver David told how he was at work when he got the shocking call telling him Hannah was dead. He said: "Jo found her hanging in her bedroom just after 6am. "She ran to my brother's and called emergency services but there was nothing they could do. Hannah had clearly been determined to kill herself. "She'd had enough, she'd been pushed too far. Now I can't even go upstairs as it reminds me of what happened. I sleep in the living room." Hannah, who was preparing to start her GCSEs, had gone on Ask.fm looking for advice after the eczema that blighted her early childhood returned. Like many users, she wanted to air her problems, which included self-harming. But the anguished youngster was hit with a string of foul abuse. Among the vicious rants were posts saying "u ugly f*** go die evry1 wuld be happy", "go comit suicide" and "do us all a favour n kill ur self". Others said "go die", "go cut ur self n die". Hannah's step-mum Deborah Smith said the schoolgirl showed no signs of the torment she was suffering. She said: "Hannah was bubbly, bright, cheerful and never had a glum face. "There was no warning. She was meant to be getting her haircut and coming to a Pink Floyd tribute concert with me. "It's just so tragic. She had everything to live for. She even tidied her room before killing herself." The day before she died, Hannah posted a note online that read: "You think you want to die, but in reality you want to be saved." After her death David discovered a note from his daughter in a bin. It said: "As I sit here day by day I wonder if it's going to get better. I want to die, I want to be free. I can't live like this any more. I'm not happy." David is waiting for a post mortem examination to be carried out before he can plan her funeral. Online tributes have been pouring in for Hannah. One pal, @pennymaexx, tweeted: "Bullies actually make my skin crawl!! rip hannah smith x." Another wrote: "No one deserves to die that young." A number of suicides have been linked to Ask.fm recently, both in Europe and the US. Last September, Irish youngster Ciara Pugsley, 15, killed herself after months of online bullying. A month later, Erin Gallagher, 13, of Co Donegal, died after similar abuse. In April, Joshua Unsworth, 15, was found hanged at home in Longridge, Lancs. He had been bullied on the site. A Facebook page set up by British users demanding the closure of Ask.fm has attracted more than 13,000 likes. Last night, leading charity BeatBullying demanded the website – and others – crack down on trolls. The call comes after a string of rape and bomb threats against high-profile women, including Labour MP Stella Creasy and TV historian Mary Beard. BeatBullying founder Emma-Jane Cross said: "These cases of trolling have deservedly received lots of attention. "However we also cannot forget that thousands of young people, as in the tragic case of Hannah Smith, face a daily barrage of online abuse, death threats and harassment. We cannot stand by while innocent children lose their lives. "We want internet service providers, websites, schools, government and the police to come together and produce a UK anti-bullying strategy, to prove this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. It's shocking that one in three young people are cyberbullied." Ask.fm was created in 2010 by brothers Mark and Ilja Terebin. It is not covered by British online regulations. Former boss of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre Jim Gamble has branded the site a "stalkers' paradise". An Ask.fm spokesman said it was investigating the circumstances of the incident. • If you are feeling suicidal, or simply need to speak to someone about problems you are experiencing, call The Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.ork.uk.
Reported by This is 44 minutes ago.
This is Leicestershire -- A grieving dad has told how his teenage daughter hanged herself after being bullied for months by internet trolls on a website linked to a string of suicides. David Smith, of Lutterworth, has demanded action against the Ask.fm site, where 14-year-old Hannah turned for help about eczema but was subjected to sickening anonymous posts telling her to "die". The tragic youngster was found hanged in her bedroom by her sister Jo, 16, on Friday. Leicestershire police have taken possession of Hannah's computer and mobile phone. A police spokesman said: "Officers were called to an address in Lutterworth at around 6.45am on Friday following a report of a body being found at the location. "The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner." An inquest into Hannah's death was opened and adjourned this morning at Leicester Town Hall, in a hearing that lasted less than five minutes. Coroner Catherine Mason confirmed Hannah died on Friday at her home in Lutterworth. She said Hannah had been formally identified by her father and that a post mortem examination had been carried out. Mrs Mason said: "Unfortunately at this time the pathologist was unable to give a precise cause of death so I am not in a position to proceed." She adjourned the inquest to a date as yet unset but signed paperwork to allow Hannah's family to begin with her funeral arrangements. No members of Hannah's family were present at the hearing. Internet trolls have even hijacked Hannah's Facebook tribute page with more attacks. One branded her a "coward" for taking her own life. David, 44, told the Mirror: "How many more teenagers will kill themselves because of online abuse before something is done? "These sick people are just able to go online and hide behind a mask of anonymity while they abuse vulnerable teenagers. "We've lost Hannah in the most horrendous way imaginable. It's time something was done so that no other family has to go through this. "When you're sitting behind a computer screen you can say whatever you want and there's no comeback. But these trolls need to realise that they are affecting people's lives in the most horrific ways imaginable. "If you're bullied in the workplace something is done about it and if you're bullied at school something is done about it. So why, when people are being bullied on social networking sites, is nothing being done about it?" Lorry driver David told how he was at work when he got the shocking call telling him Hannah was dead. He said: "Jo found her hanging in her bedroom just after 6am. "She ran to my brother's and called emergency services but there was nothing they could do. Hannah had clearly been determined to kill herself. "She'd had enough, she'd been pushed too far. Now I can't even go upstairs as it reminds me of what happened. I sleep in the living room." Hannah, who was preparing to start her GCSEs, had gone on Ask.fm looking for advice after the eczema that blighted her early childhood returned. Like many users, she wanted to air her problems, which included self-harming. But the anguished youngster was hit with a string of foul abuse. Among the vicious rants were posts saying "u ugly f*** go die evry1 wuld be happy", "go comit suicide" and "do us all a favour n kill ur self". Others said "go die", "go cut ur self n die". Hannah's step-mum Deborah Smith said the schoolgirl showed no signs of the torment she was suffering. She said: "Hannah was bubbly, bright, cheerful and never had a glum face. "There was no warning. She was meant to be getting her haircut and coming to a Pink Floyd tribute concert with me. "It's just so tragic. She had everything to live for. She even tidied her room before killing herself." The day before she died, Hannah posted a note online that read: "You think you want to die, but in reality you want to be saved." After her death David discovered a note from his daughter in a bin. It said: "As I sit here day by day I wonder if it's going to get better. I want to die, I want to be free. I can't live like this any more. I'm not happy." David is waiting for a post mortem examination to be carried out before he can plan her funeral. Online tributes have been pouring in for Hannah. One pal, @pennymaexx, tweeted: "Bullies actually make my skin crawl!! rip hannah smith x." Another wrote: "No one deserves to die that young." A number of suicides have been linked to Ask.fm recently, both in Europe and the US. Last September, Irish youngster Ciara Pugsley, 15, killed herself after months of online bullying. A month later, Erin Gallagher, 13, of Co Donegal, died after similar abuse. In April, Joshua Unsworth, 15, was found hanged at home in Longridge, Lancs. He had been bullied on the site. A Facebook page set up by British users demanding the closure of Ask.fm has attracted more than 13,000 likes. Last night, leading charity BeatBullying demanded the website – and others – crack down on trolls. The call comes after a string of rape and bomb threats against high-profile women, including Labour MP Stella Creasy and TV historian Mary Beard. BeatBullying founder Emma-Jane Cross said: "These cases of trolling have deservedly received lots of attention. "However we also cannot forget that thousands of young people, as in the tragic case of Hannah Smith, face a daily barrage of online abuse, death threats and harassment. We cannot stand by while innocent children lose their lives. "We want internet service providers, websites, schools, government and the police to come together and produce a UK anti-bullying strategy, to prove this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. It's shocking that one in three young people are cyberbullied." Ask.fm was created in 2010 by brothers Mark and Ilja Terebin. It is not covered by British online regulations. Former boss of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre Jim Gamble has branded the site a "stalkers' paradise". An Ask.fm spokesman said it was investigating the circumstances of the incident. • If you are feeling suicidal, or simply need to speak to someone about problems you are experiencing, call The Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.ork.uk.
Reported by This is 44 minutes ago.