MPs will today debate a change to the law proposed by a heartbroken mother who believes social media may contain crucial clues about her son’s death.
Jools Sweeney was 14 years old when he was found unconscious in his home in April 2022.
His parents and friends who saw him earlier that day say there were no signs he was depressed.
A coroner found that he took his own life, but that he probably did not intend to do so, as he could not confirm that he was suicidal.
His mother, Ellen Roome, suspects he may have participated in an online challenge.
She has spent two years trying to access his social networks accounts, but he says that technology companies have made it “very difficult.”
they are petition to allow grieving parents or guardians to access a child’s full social media history attracted 126,000 signatures, known as the Jools Act, and will later be debated in parliament.
“Earlier that day I was playing soccer with a group of friends,” he said.
“You can see on our security camera that he said goodbye to his friend, very happy, an hour and a half before I got home.
“We can’t let everyone, their parents, friends, teachers, grandparents, ignore depression. And that’s why we’re left with these huge question marks,” he said.
“The pain in my heart of not knowing what happened that night or why is incredibly hard. “I don’t want another family to go through that.”
‘It’s my intuition and I just want to know’
Roome, 48, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, fears her son may have taken part in an online challenge which led to his death.
The police and the coroner did not collect forensic data from his phone.
With the help of her son’s friends, Ellen was able to unlock his phone and access some of his accounts, but some of the material was deleted.
She says tech companies haven’t given her full access to what Jools was watching before his death.
“I’ve always said that I don’t know what social media is, but it’s always been my intuition and I just want to know: it’s the missing piece of the puzzle,” he said.
“He did a lot of challenges, like standing on his hands and putting on a shirt inside out. I thought they were fun and viral challenges. I never knew about some of the most dangerous ones.
“The police did not ask for data from social media companies. “The detective didn’t even find out that he had more than one TikTok and Instagram account.”
She says social media companies have not provided her with all of their messages or browsing history.
“They might say ‘here it is, I hope you get some answers.’ They could redact the details of other children.”
Jools died a week after Archie Battersbee, 12, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, suffered brain damage from what a coroner concluded was an online prank and then died.
Sky Information has contacted Meta, owner of Instagram, as well as TikTok and Snapchat. Neither provided an official statement but it is understood they were in contact with Ms Roome.
The police ‘support’ the family
A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said they were limited in what they could request because this was not a criminal case.
“We can’t imagine how upsetting it must be for the family to not have answers after Jools took his own life.
“We support the Sweeney family and the coroner’s office throughout the investigation into the cause of his death.
“As part of this, Jools’ phone was handed over to police and a review of the contents was carried out, as well as a primary review of a TikTok account. As part of these searches, nothing was found that could provide answers.
“Police are limited in the lines of investigation that can be followed to access private social media accounts hosted by private companies due to legislation, which states that an indictable offense must be proven or disproved, which is not applicable.” In this case and therefore there is no legal basis to request a production order.
“We know that this unfortunately does not help Jools’ family get the answers they are looking for, and we continue to support them with their own request to access their social media accounts.”
A TikTok representative met with Roome last year and explained that the law requires companies to delete people’s personal data unless there is a police request to do so.
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In April 2024, new powers were introduced allowing coroners to demand the production of evidence on social media. By then, the Jools investigation was closed.
Roome is preparing a case to go to the High Court for a new investigation and is crowdfunding the £86,000 cost of finding answers.
The government issued a response to Roome’s petition, saying tech companies should respond to grieving parents’ requests in a “humane and transparent manner.”
A new digital data and information bill, due to be passed this year, would force social media companies to retain data in cases where a child has died, so that a coroner can request it.
But Roome worries that it won’t force coroners and police to request the data.
Peter Kyle has said he will look at the issue “very, very closely”. Photo: PA
“I don’t want any other family to be in the situation I am in two and a half years after my son’s death. “It should be automatic,” he said.
His lawyer Merry Varney, a partner at Leigh Day, also represented the family of Molly Russell who struggled for months to access what he saw online.
“It is up to parents to fill the gaps”
Varney told Sky Information: “Getting that information is incredibly difficult, it’s a moving target. You have the posters of the content, they control whether it is deleted or made private.”
“Social media companies take this line: ‘it’s not for us, it’s not our responsibility,’ which creates a very challenging set of circumstances, and it’s not right.
“There are a lot of things that social media and technology platforms say about wanting to help, to be seen to be doing the right thing. But are they transparent about the gaps? No.
“It is up to parents to fill in the gaps themselves and it can be costly and difficult.”
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Technology Secretary Peter Kyle spoke to Sky Information in November. He said: “Coroners now have the power to force that data to be released so it can be examined.
“I’m going to watch very, very closely how those powers are used, let all the coroners know that they have those powers and then, if there are additional powers that are needed in the future, then, of course, you know, I’m all ears. to see how it could work.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
