suicides of Libby M. Rittmeyer, 14, Kirsty Farbrother 21, Charlotte Cash 34 , sisters Shauna (23) and Michelle (33) Reilly, Lisa Williams, 31, Megan Evans, 14

The St. Clair County Coroner’s Office has released the identity of a girl who died in a fall from a water tank in Belleville on Friday night.

Libby M. Rittmeyer, 14, of Belleville was pronounced dead at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville about 10:30 p.m., said Deputy Coroner Dennis Nichols.
She died of multiple injuries, Nichols said. The case was being investigated as a suicide, Nichols said.

A reporter saw an adult woman crying loudly after talking with police at the scene Friday night..

The girl lived about five blocks away from the water tank.

The storm-water reservoir has only been there for a couple of years, neighbors said. One neighbor reported seeing a lot of police cars and one ambulance speed away from the scene about 10 p.m. on Friday.

Libby had attended St. Teresa’s Catholic Grade School in Belleville, but recently transferred to West Junior High.

District 118 Superintendent Matt Klosterman said Saturday that he had engaged in some initial discussions with how to help students and staff deal with Libby’s death.

“The district will have a plan in place with our social work and psychology staff to go into a crisis mode so we can support students and staff impacted by Libby’s death,” Klosterman said.

He added, “Anytime there is a death of a student it is overwhelming to both our staff and students. Our thoughts and prayers are with Libby and her family.”

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/news/local/article133564559.html#storylink=cpy

Libby May Rittmeyer, 14, of Belleville, Ill., born September 13, 2002, in Maryville, Ill., died Friday, February 17, 2017, in Belleville, Ill.

Libby's intellect and love of learning placed her in advanced classes. She was excited about taking honors classes in high school next year. Libby was passionate about animals and became a vegetarian to support her views. She stood steadfast in her convictions and allowed her compassion to guide her decisions. Libby had a shining spirit that brought light to all she did and to everyone around her. She was taken too soon and will always be in our thoughts.

She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Shanna Rowe; and a cousin, Dalton Clark. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/belleville/obituary.aspx?n=libby-m-rittmeyer&pid=184187483&fhid=6341#sthash.PflozRC4.dpuf

The devastated sister of a young woman who took her own life has claimed Health Minister Michelle O’Neill failed to respond to a heartfelt letter she has said she sent weeks before another sister died the same way.

Heartbroken Emma Reilly from Co Fermanagh lost her two sisters to suicide within weeks of each other.

The close-knit family said they will never get over the deaths of Shauna (23) and Michelle (33).

“To suddenly go from having two sisters to being an only child is horrific,” Emma said.

A spokeswoman for the minister told the Belfast Telegraph that Ms O’Neill plans to contact Emma “as a matter of urgency”, adding that she had not received the correspondence.

Shauna passed away suddenly in December and her older sister Michelle died last Friday.

The funeral of Michelle, who was engaged to be married next year, took place in Enniskillen on Monday.

Emma (30) said her two sisters were very close.

“We are never going to get over this, ever. The only comfort we have is that Shauna and Michelle are together again,” she told the Impartial Reporter.

Michelle was described as an intelligent and popular woman who was a home bird.

She called at the family home every day to check on her father Michael, who suffered a brain injury in 2010 following a heart attack.

“Dad idolised her,” Emma added.

“She was born on his 21st birthday and they named her Michelle because it’s French for the female version of Michael.”

Following Shauna’s death, Emma told the Impartial Reporter that she sent a letter to the Health Minister on January 16 where she spoke of her youngest sister’s long battle to “get better”.

“We as a family have fought a tireless battle with the NHS mental health service, one which sadly we have lost, but there is potential for other families to be helped and other people’s suffering to be healed,” she wrote in the heartfelt plea.

Emma asked the Sinn Fein minister to look into mental health services, the current gaps that exist and the potential for extra funding.

She also pleaded with the minister to put mental health and suicide prevention “at the top” of her agenda.

“There’s a lack of mental health services in Fermanagh,” she continued.

“Money is being pumped into cancer services and people are benefiting, but mental health hasn’t been getting any funding and people are suffering.”

Emma said she sent the same letter to Sinn Fein MLAs Sean Lynch and Michelle Gildernew and SDLP MLA Richie McPhillips. Mr McPhillips was the only one to reply.

She added: “I don’t know what life is like without Michelle. She couldn’t live without Shauna. Wherever one was, the other wasn’t far behind. From day dot Michelle idolised Shauna.”

Heartbroken fiance Simon Stenson said he met Michelle when she was 17.

They became a couple in 2010, and the pair became engaged last year.

He said that Michelle couldn’t wait to get married and that she had paid off the deposit for the Slieve Russell Hotel in Co Cavan a week after their engagement.

Simon said he will treasure these “bittersweet” memories in the difficult times.

“Life won’t be the same again. I was always with Michelle. Myself and the Reillys are all a family now. We will have to get each other through it,” he said.

At Michelle’s funeral mass in St Michael’s Church on Monday, Father Donnelly told mourners how difficult it was to comprehend that two sisters died the same way.

He also stressed the importance of people talking about their problems.

A spokeswoman for the Health Minister said: “The Minister is deeply saddened to hear of the tragic deaths of Shauna and Michelle Reilly, and extends her sympathy to Emma Reilly and the entire family circle.

“Unfortunately, the Department has no record of receiving correspondence from Ms Reilly as reported in the Impartial Reporter yesterday. The Minister will contact Ms Reilly as a matter of urgency.”

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/woman-who-lost-both-sisters-in-double-suicide-tragedy-says-letter-asking-michelle-oneill-for-help-unanswered-35459211.html

wiki wrote:
SKA2 is a human gene found in Chromosome 17 of the human genome. SKA2 gene encodes a protein called SKA2 also known as Spindle and Kinetochore Associated Complex Subunit 2 is a part of a Spindle and kinetochore associated complex also including SKA1 and SKA3 which is responsible for onset of the anaphase in mitosis by regulating chromosomal segregation.[1][2]

SKA2 may function as a prognostic gene marker for identifying lung cancer[3] as well as an important biomarker for suicidal tendencies and post-traumatic stress disorders.[4][5] The SKA2 gene contains one Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7208505 located in the 3' UTR. This genetic variant containing a Cytosine (existing in the less common allele) instead of Thymine along with epigenetic modification (such as DNA methylation) is correlated with suicidal tendencies and post-traumatic stress.[4]

Clinical Significance
Suicidal tendencies and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The DNA methylation of SKA2 gene and the Single-nucleotide polymorphism rs7208505 genotype may have effects on suicidal behaviour according to linear model suggested by a study in 2014. The genotype rs7208505 contains a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) containing a Cytosine variant allele instead of Thymine present in the common allele. This SNP allows the dinucleotide repeat (CpG) elements to occur providing a gene segment for methylation. Thus DNA methylation alone may be the primary factor conferring risk of suicidal behaviour. A study of allele of rs7208505 in different ethnic groups along with numerous psychiatric diagnosis suggested that the variation in SKA2 may mediate risk for suicidal behaviours that progress to attempt to suicide.[4]

A mum-of-four killed herself by jumping in front of a train at a busy station.

It is believed she gave her bag to a stranger just moments before the tragedy.

Charlotte Cash 34 died after being hit by a London-bound train at Wigan North Western station yesterday afternoon.

Commuters - including Team GB athlete Jenny Meadows - were left devastated after witnessing the incident just after 3.15pm.

Witnesses said 34-year-old Charlotte was sending a text message on her phone moments before she was struck by the London-bound train.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/mum-four-dies-tragedy-after-9843267

Lisa Williams, 31, left the love message along with five bars of chocolate for each of her children before setting off to the beach.

Less than an hour before she died in the visitors' shelter, Mrs Williams posted a picture of the St Valentine's card with the loving message next to the chocolate bars.

She wrote: "I love you with all my Welsh heart ... will see you all I promise."

Her children, aged five to 14, were being cared for by relatives after the tragedy. She specified which chocolate bar was for each of her children in the message and also left a necklace to one of her daughters.

In it she wrote: "Chocolate treats for you all off mam."

She then spelled out all her children's names and giving each a Galaxy Smooth, Galaxy Smooth Caramel, Malteasers or Milkie Bar.

She then wrote: "Kind hands, kind feet, nice words and caring is sharing."

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/767257/mother-of-five-leaves-chocolates-children-before-committing-suicide

'Be careful what you say. Words can't be taken back': Mother makes a heartbreaking warning after Snapchat-bullies drove her daughter, 14, to suicide

   Megan Evans, 14, took her own life after being subjected to abuse on Snapchat
   Police are now probing her tragic death in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire
   Grieving mother Nicola Harteveld has urged youngsters to think twice online
   Family have asked Justin Bieber to donate a gift to the superfan for the funeral

A grieving mother has issued a heartbreaking warning to the bullies who drove her teenage daughter to suicide over Snapchat taunts.

Megan Evans, 14, took her own life after being subjected to abuse on the social media app.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4216716/Mother-s-warning-bullies-drove-daughter-suicide.html#ixzz4Z2KZLWlU

A mother has told of her heartbreak after her daughter killed herself following the deaths of her premature baby boy and his dad.

Kirsty Farbrother, 21, spent months planning her suicide in a morbid "death book" as she struggled to cope with both losses.

Kirsty's son Reece died in 2012 and her former boyfriend, who was the boy's father, killed himself in August last year.

The young woman felt she had lost the last link to her son, and her mother Tracey says she had no idea her daughter was suffering so much because she kept her true feelings hidden.

Kirsty's son Reece died in 2012 and her former boyfriend, who was the boy's father, killed himself in August last year.

The young woman felt she had lost the last link to her son, and her mother Tracey says she had no idea her daughter was suffering so much because she kept her true feelings hidden

Kirsty and the boy's father had split up after Reece's death and lost contact, but in May last year they got in touch again.

The pair started messaging and meeting up, sharing memories of little Reece. But just three months later her former boyfriend killed himself.

read more http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/young-mum-killed-herself-after-9790649