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Parents of 11-year-old suicide victim say their little girl never meant to die

Ciara Doherty’s death by hanging was a prank that went horribly wrong, a local priest has said.

THE PARENTS OF the 11-year-old girl who died by hanging in her Belfast home on Friday have said their little girl only meant to frighten them, and didn’t intend to die.

Mary Cunningham discovered the body of her daughter, Ciara, in the shower of the home she shared with her family in the Mount Eagles Park estate in Belfast on Friday, the Irish Sun reports.

In a statement yesterday, the family said that Ciara was “a very loving daughter and a happy child”.

This was an accident because she did not mean to take her own life. Our family has been left devastated and numb beyond belief by what has happened. We cannot fully understand this tragic loss of our lovely and beautiful young girl.

A local priest, Father John Forsythe, said claims made on Facebook that Ciara had been bullied were untrue. Her death was a dangerous prank that had gone tragically wrong.

She wanted to hit out at her parents and it just went so badly wrong. That’s how she ended up doing this to herself…This young girl did not want to die.

She came from a hard-working loving family who were excellent parents and loved her dearly.

For more information read this story in the print editions of the Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Sun >

Contact the Samaritans on 1850 60 90 90 >

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Jennifer O'Connell
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