A 14-year-old girl followed by Child Welfare hanged herself, “a death that could have been avoided”

A suicide that could have been avoided. On Monday January 29, 2024, a 14-year-old teenager followed by Child Welfare (ASE) hanged herself in Aubière, a town located in the Puy-de-dôme department. The young girl, followed for several years by the association Alteris Parentheses, ended her life in the hotel room where she had been placed. An establishment visibly accustomed to welcoming young people from the ASE. “The boss is very nice, but he is neither an educator nor a psychologist. It’s a tragedy for him too”assures a source close to the establishment to our colleagues at Médiacoop.

For the staff responsible for supporting the young girl, this suicide could clearly have been avoided given the difficult situation of the teenager and known to child welfare services. Especially since the placement of the young girl in a hotel is contrary to the principles laid down by the Taquet law which has authorized since 2022 the placement of minors in hotels solely for their safety.

“Institutional mistreatment”

But as pointed out Mediacoop, the decree has still not been adopted and this ban on placing minors in hotels must come into force on February 1, 2024. This does not prevent the worst from happening for this teenager who ended her life. Given the difficult educational conditions received by the teenager, the association’s staff believe that the support did not meet the needs.

“This young girl has not had an easy journey. She should have been better supported than left behind in a hotel. The responsibility is not the hotel manager or its assigned educator, but the entire system which does not seek a solution for these children”, deplore several educators in one voice. In the reception centers, the situation is difficult to sustain: the Chamalières Children and Families center welcomes 59 babies while only 43 places are authorized.

“The Taquet law, promulgated in 2022, prohibits staying in a hotel except for the safety of the child. But, the decree has still not passed CharlotteCaubel Unforgivable mistake. A death that could have been avoided of a teenager abandoned by the system”castigates Lieutenant-Colonel Yael Mellul on X. An observation shared by the accompanying staff who deplore an “institutional mistreatment”.

A journalist passionate about social issues and current affairs, Hugo puts his pen at the service of information. Interested in all themes, from the impact of artificial intelligence on…