Suicide of Kevin Whitrick
{{Short description|Suicide of a British man}}{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kevin Whitrick
| caption = Kevin Whitrick
| birth_name = Kevin Neil Whitrick
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1964|8|17}}
| birth_place = Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2007|3|21|1964|8|17}}
| death_place = Wellington, Shropshire, England
| death_cause = Suicide by hanging
| occupation = Electrical Engineer
| spouse = {{marriage|Paula Whitrick|1988|2005|end = separated}}
| children = 2
| parents =
}}
Kevin Neil Whitrick (17 August 1964 – 21 March 2007) was a British electrical engineer who committed suicide by hanging himself while in an online chat room.{{cite web |last=Bale |first=Joanna |date=24 March 2007 |title=Get on with it, said net audience as man hanged himself on webcam |url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/get-on-with-it-said-net-audience-as-man-hanged-himself-on-webcam-zm2whb9fjrl |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070406181957/http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article1560877.ece |archive-date=6 April 2007 |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=The Times}}
Background
Whitrick had been married to his wife Paula since 1988, and they had two children. At the time of his death, the marriage broke down about two years prior, and he was living separately from his family.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23390052-details/British+man+commits+suicide+on+live+webcam/article.do |title=Chatroom users 'egged on father to kill himself live on webcam' |access-date=15 May 2009 |date=24 March 2007 |work=London Evening Standard |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307222607/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23390052-details/British%2Bman%2Bcommits%2Bsuicide%2Bon%2Blive%2Bwebcam/article.do |archive-date=7 March 2009 }} In 2006, Whitrick was severely injured in a car accident and suffered long-term health consequences.
Suicide
In March 2007, Whitrick was using the Paltalk video chat service, in a special "insult" chatroom with about 60 other users where people "have a go at each other". He stood on a chair, punched a hole in his ceiling and placed a rope around a joist, then tied the other end around his neck and stepped off the chair in order to asphyxiate himself. Some people thought this was a prank, until his face started turning blue. Some people in the chat room encouraged him by saying things like "just get on with it", while others tried desperately to find his address. A member in the room contacted the police, who arrived at the scene two minutes later. Whitrick was pronounced dead at 11:15 pm GMT.
Aftermath
The death was widely reported in the media. Concerns were raised over the possibility that it could inspire further suicides,{{Cite web |last=Merritt |first=Brookes |date=2007-03-25 |title=Live hanging shown on web: Alberta suicide-prevention groups brace for copycat deaths |url=http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2007/03/25/3828482-sun.html#selection-767.0-777.58 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070328220732/http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2007/03/25/3828482-sun.html#selection-767.0-777.58 |archive-date=2007-03-28 |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=CNEWS}} as well as the webcam footage becoming available in perpetuity on the internet.{{Cite web |date=2007-03-26 |title=Keep online suicide footage offline: police |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=256671 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329174229/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=256671 |archive-date=2007-03-29 |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=ninemsn}} Detectives traced about 100 chatroom users to question them about their role in the suicide, though the Crown Prosecution Service did not pursue any criminal charges against them.{{cite web
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/6695197.stm |title=No charges over 'suicide' on web |accessdate=27 May 2007 |date=26 May 2007 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21445333-2703,00.html |title=Police consider charging chatroom users for inciting cyber suicide |accessdate=27 May 2007 |last=Ungoed-Thomas |first=Jon |date=26 March 2007 |work=The Australian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515043101/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21445333-2703,00.html |archive-date=15 May 2007 |url-status=dead }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/6491787.stm Appeal over webcam death images]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070328043411/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/24/nchatroom24.xml Chatroom user films his suicide on internet]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitrick, Kevin}}
Category:20th-century English people
Category:21st-century English people
Category:Deaths by person in England
Category:English electrical engineers
Category:March 2007 in the United Kingdom
Category:People from Shrewsbury