Three weeks after the death of 13-year-old Lindsay, her parents did not take off in the face of lack of action from the authorities. The teenager, schooled in 4th grade at the college Bracke-Desrousseaux of Vendin-le-Vieil (Pas-de-Calais), committed suicide on May 12 in the evening at her home, according to the rectorate of Lille.
His mother Betty and his father-in-law François chose to testify Monday night on the set of Cyril Hanouna to denounce the inaction of the school, which they said had been alerted many times.
Misunderstanding, when there was "a dialogue"
The teenager's mother and stepfather stressed their incomprehension of this gesture, while the subject was at the heart of their concerns and Lindsay reported to them all the facts of which she was a victim: "She talked about it right away. (...) She was insulted about her physique, she was ridiculed all the time," Betty explained.
"It started in September last year, then it went up crescendo. Insults, bullying... As the year went on, it started to get worse," his father-in-law continued. "She said she wasn't afraid, she showed me the messages, I followed everything," Lindsay's mother said.
"We found a suicide note"
Harassment: The cry from the heart of Lindsay's family, who committed suicide at 13. #TPMP pic.twitter.com/Hvsd9YZapQ
— TPMP (@TPMP) May 29, 2023
"We reassured her as best we could with our words. We are very open parents, there was a dialogue, "said François, before his wife added: "I spent hours in his room, we talked, she told me everything. "
Insults that continued despite the intervention of parents
"I went to see these girls several times to stop, but as soon as she arrived in front of the school, she was insulted" by teenage girls in 3rd grade, continued Betty, Lindsay's mother. She said she advised her daughter to block the accounts behind the harassment messages on social media, "but (the harassers) made fake accounts," she said.
The prosecutor of Bethune confirmed Thursday in a statement the indictment of four minors for "school harassment". An adult was indicted for "death threats".
" READ ALSO Suicide of Lindsay in the Pas-de-Calais: what we know after the indictment of four minors
According to the teenager's mother, these insults are still going on today: "They continue the threats, insulting my daughter by finally saying she died this p..., I'm going to piss on her grave, I'm going to burn her grave, and it doesn't stop," she said in TPMP.
A letter found in the teenager's room in February
"The trigger was in February. I turned his mattress over and found a suicide note. We notified the academy, the police, the principal of the college, without follow-up, "assured on the set of Cyril Hanouna the father-in-law of Lindsay.
Her mother indicates that the teenager herself alerted the school administration that she had received threats and that she was going to "be beaten" and that there was no reaction: "We let her out", while her harassers were waiting for her at the exit of the establishment. The teenager's grandmother also sent a letter to Emmanuel Macron, which remained unanswered, according to the family's statements.
An administrative investigation must be opened by the rectorate of Lille, announced Friday the academic director in the Pas-de-Calais, Jean-Roger Ribaud. He acknowledged that school services could have "gone further in monitoring" the girl, whose harassment was known to the school.
If you are faced with a situation of harassment or cyberbullying, you can contact 3020 (harassment) and 3018 (cyberbullying), toll-free and anonymous numbers, Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 20 p.m. The Suicide écoute line can also be reached 24/24 at 7.7.01.45.39.