Although Stanford, California resident Steve Kearees hadn’t seen his Facebook friend in five years, he kept in regular touch with him via the social site; Kearees informed police that he thought his friend might be entertaining thoughts of suicide and requested that officers pay him a visit.
When police arrived near the man’s residence, they found him sitting on a sidewalk and uttering the phrase, “I want to end it all.”
As far as the man’s method of choice, there was no further information revealed at that point. When the man was taken down to a police station for further probing, the man then announced that he wanted to end it all by “taking medication or using a rope,” Officer Travis Shandor said to the Herald Standard.
Police then weighed the facts in the case and made the decision to transport the man to a nearby Highlands Hospital in Connellsville for further mental evaluation.
Less than one year ago, a Connesville resident also posted a suicide note on his Facebook page but unfortunately for him, it went unnoticed. The man hung himself inside his garage not long after posting his status.
The man’s suicide death raised a flag of awareness among not only area residents but emergency workers as well that Facebook can act as a real barometer for many potential dangers if its users are vigilant.
Have any of your friends sent out a call for help on Facebook that you were able to pick up on?
Source: All Facebook
Wednesday, July 27, 2011