Angela Franklin R.I.P.

February 18, 2009 permalink

[Hoax alert, see addendum]

A mother who had lost two children to social services and was pregnant again found the sure way to prevent the loss of her third child in the delivery room. She killed herself and her unborn child. The story comes from a blog entry by Teresa Cooper Pregnant Mother Driven To alledged Suicide By Social Services. Since it was referenced by British MP John Hemming, we are sure the story is authentic. Enclosed below are Angela's final words. Her death occurred on or about February 11.

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Angela Franklin wrote on 03 February 2009 at 05:05

i felt suicidal after a bad relationship but after a while i got over him and i was able to move on. i now have someone who i love but still my life is not happy. i lost all my children due to lies being told in court by social services. I cant see or speak to my children.
this is one thing that i would not get over. my children meant the world to me and still do.

i have somehow detached myself from the man i love. the children look like him and they are everything like him. everytime i am with him i get upset.

i dont know where to turn or who to turn to now.

i feel lost
i am pregnant again and i dont want to live
some may think i am being selfish because i should be thinking about the baby inside of me. but social services want to take this baby too and i would rather die

i just dont know hat to do. i want out
the sooner the better.

Source: no2abuse blog February 17, 2009

Addendum: This story disappeared from John Hemming's blog within hours, and within days was withdrawn by Teresa Cooper. Either it was true and the victim of enormous pressure to suppress, or it was a hoax. In view of the news article by a professional journalist enclosed below, the pregnant suicide version was most likely a hoax.

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Angela Franklin and, inset, her son James Lowe

Bridport mum's warning of tragic depression signs

8:27am Saturday 10th January 2009, By Joanna Davis »

THE mother of a suicide victim is urging parents of teenagers to be aware of depression warning signs.

Angela Franklin, of Watton, Bridport, claimed the authorities ‘failed’ her depressed teenage son and he would still be alive today if he had more help.

Her son, James Lowe, 18, hanged himself in the family garden in November 2007.

Ms Franklin said: “It was like James was sinking in quicksand in slow motion and no one could throw a rope.

“It was the same as going to a doctor and being told that you have cancer and no one’s going to do anything about it.”

Her comments came after a Prince’s Trust report revealed that one in 10 South West youngsters think life isn’t worth living.

The report also revealed that a quarter of 16 to 25-year-olds in the South West admit to being ‘often’ or ‘always’ down or depressed.

More than one in four young people said they were less happy now than they were as a child and 15 per cent felt like crying ‘often’ or ‘always’.

A special programme has been set up to help young people from Weymouth and Portland who are depressed.

Around 40 young people have used the programme over the last year.

The Waves Young Persons Advice Centre in Weymouth runs a Stand By Service which takes youths out to Dorset attractions with adult volunteers and encourages them to take part in sports.

Jane Fuhrmann, family mediator at Waves, said: “There are some young people who may present as being depressed, but they actually have a lack of self-confidence and a lack of self-esteem.

“We have a stand by service where we look to take them out of their comfort zone.

“It’s about helping them to feel good about themselves.”

Ms Franklin is now campaigning to make help more widely available for young people who are depressed or have suicidal tendencies.

“The care James had was atrocious and I think he would still be alive today if he’d had more help.

“My boy should have had a future but instead I woke up, drew my curtains back and saw him hanging from my tree,” she said.

For information on help with depression, see mind.org.uk or thesite.org/healthandwellbeing

Source: Dorset Echo