A 14-year-old boy ended his life on Tuesday morning. He was the fifth to die in six attempted suicides by Hong Kong students within 17 days.
The boy wore a school uniform when he died at Wah Fu Estate in Aberdeen around 7am.
His suicide may be linked to a scolding by his parents for spending too much time on computer games the night before, local media reported.
The school said in a statement that its teachers and students were devastated by the news. It has set up a crisis management group and urged parents to notify the school if their children appear to be in distress.
Another suicide
A separate student suicide took place last Friday. A 15-year-old boy who attended an international school took his own life at Times Square in Causeway Bay at around 10pm.
He told his family that he was unhappy at school prior to his action last Sunday, according to local media.
The student was an enthusiast in rooftopping, a practice of taking photographs at the top of skyscrapers. He left a note on Instagram thanking his friends and social media followers before Sunday. His family has since switched the account from public to private.
See also: HKFP’s comprehensive guide to mental health services in Hong Kong
Last Monday, a 15-year-old student ended his life in Ma On Shan, possibly related to worries over academic grades.
Two student deaths from suicide were reported immediately after the end of the Lunar New Year holidays. A 16-year-old died on February 5 in Ma On Shan, while a 13-year-old died on February 6 in Tsing Yi.
A 12-year-old student attempted suicide earlier this month, also reportedly due to academic pressure. She was prevented from doing so by firefighters and police officers.
Last year, 35 cases of student suicide were reported.
If you are experiencing negative feelings, please call: The Samaritans 2896 0000 (24-hour, multilingual), Suicide Prevention Centre 2382 0000 or the Social Welfare Department 2343 2255. The Hong Kong Society of Counseling and Psychology provides a WhatsApp hotline in English and Chinese: 6218 1084.
Correction 22/2: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the incident surrounding the 15-year-old boy occurred on Sunday.
