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Chatroom users 'egged on father to kill himself live on webcam'
Last updated at 00:07am on 24.03.07A father-of-two hanged himself live over the internet in Britain's first 'cyber suicide'.
Kevin Whitrick, 42, took his life after being goaded by dozens of chatroom users from across the world who initially believed he was play acting.
But as they watched in horror, Mr Whitrick climbed onto a chair, smashed through a ceiling and then hanged himself with a piece of rope.
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Kevin Neil Whitrick, 42, was found dead by police in Wellington, after being alerted by a web user who is thought to have watched in horror as the man harmed himself
Stunned by what they had witnessed - broadcast on a popular chatroom website used by millions of people across the globe - chatroom users immediately contacted the police.
Officers rushed to the electrician's home in the Wellington area of Shropshire within minutes, smashing down the door to try to save him.
Kevin Whitrick had two 12-year-olds who he visited regularly
Last night it emerged that Mr Whitrick had been suffering from depression after being badly injured in a car crash last year.
Friends said that the breakdown of his marriage with wife, Paula - with whom he had 12-year-old twins - and the recent death of his father had also been causing him some distress.
Mr Whitrick told users of web-chat site PalTalk what he was going to do two hours before he killed himself on Wednesday night.
He was logged on with around 50 other users to a special "insult" chatroom where people "have a go at each other".
Today distraught users of the site said that they felt sick and had previously thought the web broadcast was a hoax.
They confirmed Mr Whitrick told friends in the internet chat room of his plans to kill himself but, thinking he was joking, they egged him on telling him to make sure the his webcam was on.
Mr Whitrick, using the user-name Shyboy-17-1, switched on his webcam and went ahead with his grisly plan.
One anonymous user said: "He tied a rope around an uncovered ceiling joist and stood on the chair as he tied the rope around his neck.
"Some of us chatroom users, talking to Kevin over text chat, microphones and video tried to convince him to step down, but others egged him on telling him to get on with it.
"We just couldn't believe he was doing it - it was surreal.
"One chatter said: 'F***ing do it, get on with it, get it round your neck. For F***'s sake he can't even do this properly'."
Another user who did not wish to be named said: "When Kevin stepped off the chair and was left dangling, the mood in the chatroom changed and people began to realise what they had just seen.
"We started asking if anyone knew where he lived and saying they should contact the police.
"I think someone contacted the police in their local area but sadly no one could get to him in time."
Shortly after, moderators on the site closed the feed from Kevin's webcam.
'Considerate and kind'
Mr Whitrick had been living in his flat, a converted house, after splitting from his wife Paula two years ago.
The couple, who married in 1988, had 12-year-old twins Lewis and Melissa who live with their mother in a three-bedroom, semi-detached home close by.
They are said to have visited their dad, who worked at family firm RMW electrical services in Shrewsbury, at weekends. His older brother Malcolm Whitrick is an associate director at Shrewsbury Town Football Club.
Kevin Whitrick's sparse profile on the paltalk website
"Unfortunately Kevin had a very serious car accident in July 2006 and had never fully recovered back to full health."
Mr Whitrick's stepmother Betty Whitrick, 74, told the Mail: 'Kevin was a bubbly kind of person, full of fun. I just don't know why he would do this.
"He lived alone but he always cheerful when I saw him. I knew he was very into computers and he also used to like playing bowls."
Detective Chief Inspector Jon Groves who is leading the investigation said: "Our enquiries to date have revealed that Mr Whitrick was using a chat room with a number of other people at the time of his death.
"We are liasing with the internet service provider at this time to contact other users who were online at the time of this incident and who may have information that could assist our enquiries.
"We are also working to ensure that witness support facilities are available to those who may have been affected by what they saw."
Sharon Atwal, who works in a cornershop opposite Mr Whitrick's flat, described him as "subdued" the last time she saw him.
She said: "Every night he'd take eight cans of Boddington's bitter from the fridge and re-stock it with the cans from the shelf. He always seemed quite cheerful.
"On Wednesday night, though, he didn't seem himself and it was the first night that he did not re-stock the fridge. It was as if he knew he wouldn't be coming back.
"He always struck me as very happy, he was friendly and had two perfect kids. I cannot believe he has done this."
Her brother Bobby added: "Kevin has lived in the flat for the past year and I have seen him every day without fail.
"Last week, he told me about his chat room. He was excited and said he had set it up himself. He said he had been speaking to people in Australia on his webcam.
"His two children used to visit at weekends. He had a very good relationship with them and always gave them lots of money to buy sweets."
The case appears to echo that of Brandon Vedas, a 21 year-old from Phoenix, Arizona, who committed suicide online using a mix of alcohol and prescription medication.
In that case people in the chat room egged the young man on, while others tried desperately to find his address.
Local MP for the Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, said: "This is a very sad and rare incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
"It is important that the use of the internet in this death is fully investigated."
Reader views (26)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
I like how they tried to imply he was depressed by the accident. Clearly it was the divorce that had him depressed. Losing two children and a wife whom he probably loved is enough to kill one's self. Having his father die also just catalyzed it.
- Terry, Massachusetts
I find it absolutely disgusting how people encouraged & insulted him. Shame on them.
- Naomi, New Zealand
I just don't understand how anyone would actually ENCOURAGE him to commit suicide. Even though they were unaware that he wasn't joking, it's still a moronic and horrid thing to do. I'm amazed that no one had noticed if he was ever depressed or not, not that it would've been easy to, just that usually the victim shows a signal. I feel so, SO sorry for Kevin's family and what his two little girls had to go through. It's so sad how the audience didn't even DO anything! Did they seriously assume he was kidding?! Sigh. Let's just hope this catastrophe won't repeat itself anytime soon.
- Anna, Albany, United States
Yes it is sad and upsetting .. but the hardest battle is surviving suicide. Sadly I ve been here and know what this dark feeling of sadness and even though you might see some one smiling and be cheer-full, sadly means nothing. I kept a dark hole of sadness with me for many years, many friends who would say I was the happiest person they know loving wife and a child, great family, but deep within me I was ashamed to share my pain, and one night I felt I could not take anymore.
Thankfully my one of my brothers came to check on me as he felt I wasn't my self. Today I express my inner feelings without worry or shame to my loved ones and thank those for giving me the second chance to the beautiful life we have. Today I enjoy every sun rise as it was my first and look at life a lot different...
Live life to the full, always take time to smell the flowers, and never feel alone so many will share. The hardest point is asking for help...
Regards Ronan
- Ronan, Ireland
I read this and it makes me sick of how these people can even joke about something like that. I am doing a play in my Theatre Studies A-Level, and it is called 'Chatroom', and It's exactly like this. I have to convince someone to do it in the play and I will be really nervous after reading this. Respect to Kevin and his family, I m really sorry.
- Alexander Page, Sturry, Kent
I feel sick after reading this,I reg use a similar chat room and yes sometimes even though people are your online friends you have to remember it's not real. My heart and thoughts go out to his family, especially his kids.
I'm saddened by how those sick people sat there and did nothing, but that's the reality of the online life.
- Shyannedianne, Manchester
Absolutely appalling!
- Eija Walsh, London
This is sick. The web is full of crazy people. I don't know if I can ever forgive myself had I been in that chatroom. My heart goes to Kevin and his family. I'm so sorry. I hope people learn from this tragedy.
- Meldy, Reading
I have been in the dark place that makes you want to die. I was saved by a random call from a friend. You involve people because you want a reason to live. You seek reassurance that things are not so bad, but in this case it didn't come. For all those people who watched this tragedy I hope you are proud.
- Paul Rust, United Kingdom
Oh my god. I feel sick after reading this. Those people egging him on are disgusting -I hope they feel ashamed.
- Mia, England
It's things like this that put me off even meeting people on the internet. I wonder why the internet attracts SO many abusive and insensitive people. If somebody says they're going to kill themselves there is always a chance that they mean it, what sort of an idiot eggs someone on? This world is sick and getting worse with every new generation. It's a miracle we've not all gone mental by now.
- Martin, Bradford
Horrbile thought. Not the first time though.
I've seen someone commit suicide on cam before and it was horrible god the scene just makes you want to get over there.
- Anon, UK
This truly is one of the most heartbreaking stories I've ever read in my life. I just wish he tried to get help and not commit suicide.
- =[, USA
I use palktalk on a regular basis and I did not know this man but it is sad for anyone to feel the need to do this. The thing that disgusts me the most is the fact that some person in that room felt the need to taking pictures of the poor guy hanging there and distributing round the palktalk rooms and no doubt the internet. Even I had this sent to me and had no knowledge it had even happened. My thoughts the room should be closed and the people who had @ on need banning, the cams could have been turned off and there was no need for all to watch.
- Lesley, saint paul usa
This is ridiculous. What kind of sick people go into an INSULT chat room in the first place?? The fact that those people goaded him into killing himself is unbelievable. Regardless of whether or not they "thought" he was acting even joking in that way about suicide is not acceptable. Those people that encouraged him to go ahead and kill himself should be held just as responsible for his death as if they were there and assisted him with it! Those people have something seriously wrong with them in the first place...they need more help than a "support facility" can offer.
- Jenn, USA
I was in the room understand this was a fight room Kevin knew this he was very well part of us. There is no support there are only us left to pick up ourselves. Kevin was not weak minded and i cant stand how you people think he done this because people told him too. There is support for those who saw this. please this man was a friend dont make up facts report it right like how his sound was down and he heard no one.
- Aaron Gaillard, mississippi
Those watchers are like the people who stand below a building looking up at a poor man contemplating suicide and shout, "jump! Jump!"
- Parker Godwin, USA
I think the saddest thing of all is that everyone in his life thought he was fine, even though he obviously wasn't. i'm sorry, but i know first hand what has lead a lot of people to do this, and all those people saying that they were "so close to him" is either lying or deluded, the pills don't put the thoughts there, they take them away. thats all anyone ever wants.
- Rachelle, Colorado
The people who were egging him on should be ashamed of themselves and should remember "what goes around comes around" and someday they will find that out. I can only hope that the rest of their lives they will feel responsible for the death of this poor man and find it hard to live with themselves.
- Linda, Lynn, MA
It makes me sick to read about the people egging him on. If these people had any kind of brains or feelings at all, they would have acknowledged the seriousness of this. I hope they're all happy with themselves.
- Adelphik, San Bernardino, CA, USA
My sympathies go out to Mr. Whitrick's family.
I'd been a Paltalk user for years, and previous to that other chat rooms. A number of people over the years threatened suicide, two of them became close friends and we worked through their depression with constant messages of encouragement and caring. It's darned unfortunate some in that room were so uncaring as to not realize this man was serious. I'd been in that particular room previously, and didn't enjoy the cruelty of comments to users by users.
So, if you're a chatroom user, and someone threatens suicide, or if someone threatens murder, take it seriously.
I so wish this man had been encouraged to see that like other life problems, there is always hope, always a better way, always light at the end of the tunnel.
- Jo, Tucson, AZ
People who commit suicide are not healthy, they are mentally ill, and there but for the grace of God go we. Can you imagine feeling so constantly distraught and alone that you actually WANT to die? The survival instinct is our strongest motivating force and it's got to take a hell of a lot to defy it.
- Sophie, Australia
How very sad.
- Chris, Malden, MA; USA
Most people don't deserve the help they get. This man didn't get the help he deserved. We can only hope he is now at peace.
- Bruce, Italy & USA
It's a shame that someone would do this and my heart goes out to the family, I myself has been online for 18 yrs and on paltalk since 1999 and the particular night in question I was online but thankfully not in that particular chat room at the time or it would of been reported before it got that far. But this fellow is not and will not be the first or the last to commit such a horrid death as I have seen many things in my time of being in these chat rooms and so many aren't mentally stable enough to be here!
I do hope that now since something this tragic has came to what was suppose to be a place to meet all types and Nationalities of people that for the most part we in most cases will never meet in person becomes a vital lesson that we all have feelings and where most can be strong minded some are not as strong but the internet can become as addictive as any drug and as harmful as in death.
- Only Saw The Aftermath, USA
Suicide is a rather selfish act - but at least this one will not warrant a lengthy and costly investigation. It's just a shame that this person, in their final act, didn't consider the lasting impression that would be left with others.
If you must harm yourself, don't involve others! Many live on long after you pass.
- Bucho, BH, CA
