Abraham Biggs committed suicide at his Pembroke Pines, Florida home while viewers watched via his webcam. Some viewers encouraged the 19-year-old to end his life. Vile comments show that they were annoyed that he had threatened suicide on other occasions.
Biggs posted a note, alleged to have been copied from at least two other sources previously posted on the Internet. In photos on his MySpace page, the teen is posing with smiling women though he is not smiling in most of the pictures. The link to the thread on justin.tv, where the death by drug overdose was aired live, has been removed. Another link on bodybuilding.com where the young man was berated and told to make good on his threat after announcing his intentions to commit suicide has been removed as well.
Family members told police that the lethal combination of drugs that claimed Biggs' life were medications prescribed for his bipolar disorder.
If you think that someone is about to commit suicide, prevention assistance is available through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline via a 24-hour toll-free number, 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). The call is confidential and you may call for yourself or someone you'd like to help. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also offers assistance. Please visit the website.
Abraham Biggs' story is a sad commentary on how easily a young life can be lost when no one is paying attention or taking their issues seriously. Although it cannot be said with certainty that his death could have been prevented, it is certain that those who sat at their computers and watched during a 12 hour period could have acted sooner to alert authorities so that the necessary intervention could have been implemented in a timely manner.
I hope that this young man's soul is finally at peace. My condolences are extended to his family and friends.
