For all the bad news stories we often follow about teens and social media, this one was a more helpful news report in recent days that I meant to post earlier.
From CNN’s article, Teen’s remark on Facebook sends cops into social media action to save a life:
A social media thread proved strong enough to pull a New Jersey teenager back from possible suicide, according to authorities.And it was a social networking first for officers from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department — using Facebook and other outlets this week to track down and help a troubled 18-year-old whose three-word online posting seemed to say suicide.”Thinking of jumping,” the teenager posted to his Facebook profile, alongside a photo of the George Washington Bridge spanning the Hudson River.A concerned Facebook friend who saw the post contacted police in Paterson, New Jersey, alerting authorities to the apparent suicide threat, according to Port Authority spokesman Joe Pentangelo.
Authorities first downloaded a photo of the teen and distributed it to officers to seek him out while searching the bridge. The teen wasn’t found there.
Meanwhile, a Port Authority sergeant and another officer assigned to Port Authority police’s emergency services reached out through the teen’s Facebook page, one leaving a cell phone number on the page, as the teen’s friends – witnessing what was happening – urged their friend to call the officer.
Within a couple of hours, the officer received a call from the teen and the two met in person to talk. In the end, the teen agreed to be taken to a local hospital for assistance, according to CNN.
Read the full story at CNN.
Also h/t Daily Dot and NY Daily News.
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