Teen, 15, Commits Suicide; Family Believes It Was Due To Stress From Coronavirus Lockdowns

A teenage girl has committed after reportedly being depressed from coronavirus stay-at-home orders, the New York Post reports.

Fifteen-year-old Jo’Vianni “Jo” Smith of California was found dead earlier this month at her Stockton home where she hanged herself after reportedly growing derepressed over COVID-19 lockdown orders, KTXL reports. The teen’s mother, Danielle Hunt, said her daughter didn’t leave a note behind. However, she believes the quarantines, which have lasted weeks now in the nation, may have contributed to Jo’Vianni’s decision to take her own life.

“I felt that I was doing all that I could as a parent to leave the communication open,” Hunt said. The mother added that “sometimes we may need to stop and worry about the kids that we don’t think we need to worry about.” Jo’Vianni was a social and active child who played as a catcher and second baseman on her high school’s softball team. She attended Bear Creek High School.

In a Facebook post, one of Jo’Vianni’s former coaches opened up about the student and suggested parents talk to their children during the pandemic amid the child’s death. “I can’t imagine what Jo was going through to come to this conclusion,” said  Jo’Vianni’s coach Bill Fletcher in the post. “Her mom is a single mom with her own catering business, which in these times couldn’t have been going well.”

He added that it is important that parents understand not every child handles stress the same way as others and to be as alert as possible. “I’m asking for you to keep this family in your prayers,” he wrote. “I’m asking you to reach out to others and don’t just assume they’re [sic] doing ok,” Hunt says she is going to make sure her daughter’s story is heard. “I will still do my best to tell my daughter’s story,” said Hunt.