Report details reasons, methods behind rash of suicides

Fears of a suicide epidemic spread throughout Polytech High School earlier this year after four students died in a two-month period. Although some of the students who died knew each other and used similar methods to kill themselves, experts say they don't believe they had made a suicide pact.

"We did try to look for that and did not find any evidence of it," said Alex Crosby, with the Division of Violence Prevention for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Crosby was one of the federal experts invited by the state to analyze 11 suicides involving young people between the ages of 12 and 21 in Kent and Sussex counties between Jan. 1 and May 4. Of those suicides, four were from Polytech, two were from two other high schools, two were high school graduates living in the area, one was a middle school student. One had dropped out of high school and one was a young adult with unknown education status.

No students were interviewed because researchers did not want to retraumatize the students, Crosby said. In fact, state officials contacted the CDC in March after three Polytech students had committed suicide and a total of six suicides occurred in the area. During the course of the CDC investigation, one more Polytech student committed suicide and four other suicides occurred in nearby Kent and Sussex county.

Of the suicides, seven were by hanging or strangulation; all the cases involved some sort of device around the neck, Crosby said. He said there was no indication that any of the deceased had been involved in auto-erotic activity.

The other four died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

The way the 11 Delaware students killed themselves mirrors a teen trend witnessed across the country.

Nationally, Crosby said, hangings have increased since the mid-2000s, and the number of self-inflicted gunshot wounds has dropped.

The report also analyzed 116 nonfatal suicide attempts by young people in the same geographical area and timeframe. Experts found the most used method was drug overdose followed by cutting.

In all of the 11 suicides, Crosby said, more than one factor likely played a role. Mental health issues were the most common problem, followed by recent problems with a parent or the legal system. Problems with a boyfriend or girlfriend, academics and substance abuse use also ranked high. Experts determined each of the deceased had at least two of these issues – some had as many as five, Crosby said.

In the course of its investigation, the CDC met with high school guidance counselors, principals and healthcare providers to gather information.

"No one could recall another time when they observed a series of fatal or nonfatal suicide behaviors like this among young people in the community even though some had lived or worked in the community for over 20 years," the report states.

Adults interviewed also expressed frustration with the large role social media played during the rash of suicides.

"Social media is of intense interest among young people, and at the same time provides a virtually unchecked forum for rumors, gossip and derisive comments," according to the report.

Some adults interviewed were concerned with a lack of activities for young people, which they believe encourages illegal drug use, the report states.