Mia Janine, 14, killed herself after being bullied by a group of boys at her school. An inquest heard on January 22, 2024, the boys had a Snapchat group where they sent fake pictures to school girls and made fun of them.
Mia was among the girls who were bullied online and in person while attending the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kenton, north-west London. According to The Sun, one of the boys called her group a “suicide squad,” while the others kicked a football at them.
On March 12, 2021, the teenager was found dead at her family home in Harrow, United Kingdom. Her father, Mariano Janine, told Barnet Coroner's Court that he believed she had been cyberbullied by other students at the Jewish Free School.
What happened to Mia Janine?
Mia Janine, a 14-year-old teenager, was bullied inside and outside her school by a group of boys. She was reportedly bullied for three years, and on March 12, 2021, she committed suicide.
According to the Daily Mail, Barnet Coroner's Court discovered a Snapchat group called 'Panacha' which had more than 60 male participants, most of them from JFS. This group exploited its platform to publish sarcastic messages targeting female students, in addition to publishing photos showing their faces digitally. It is imposed on the bodies of adult film actors in a humiliating way.
Furthermore, the group was allegedly engaged in sharing photos of female classmates, which were obtained by pressuring or threatening them.
On March 10, 2021, Mia shared a video on TikTok criticizing a “clothing brand” created by two students who bullied her. However, she subsequently received many negative comments, according to what the Jewish News newspaper reported. As a result of the video, Mia's friend told the court that she sent a voice message saying she was “mentally preparing herself to be bullied.”
Furthermore, the court was told that Mia appeared normal the next day. Many stated that they knew Mia was being bullied, but they did not know that things could get worse because Mia “used to hide it well.” However, one student said Mia asked: “If you die, will people care about you the next day?” Her friend laughed and said it was no big deal.
According to the Jewish Chronicle, at a pre-investigation in May 2021, Mia Janine's parents raised concerns about bullying with staff at the Jewish Free School (JFS). However, the school denied a three-year bullying campaign against Mia and Snapchat.
At the latest inquest on January 22, 2024, students stated in court that Mia's bullying was so obvious that even teachers and staff were aware of it. However, the Snapchat group was deleted at the request of the school's former deputy principal, Rabbi Cohen, according to the BBC.
Mia Janin's father, Mariano Janin, told the investigation:
“On the last night of Mia's life we were sitting at the table having dinner, and she told us she had had a tough week. I was surprised by what she said, because she had only been back to school for one day. She said she wanted to leave JFS.”
He further added,
“Marissa (her mother) told her she could, and we could look into homeschooling. I was so worried about what was going to happen after one day at school, that she would have to go home sad. I didn't realize at the time how bad things were for her.” “
Mia Janine was encouraging. She also went to the Sylvia Young Theater School on weekends. However, the investigation into the alleged suicide case is ongoing.
