'Depression community' member suspected of aiding teen's livestreamed suicide

(123rf)

A 27-year-old man who was with the teenager who livestreamed her suicide may be charged with abetting suicide, local media reported Tuesday.

Police have confirmed that she was with the man around the time she killed herself on Sunday, and that the two were active on an online community.

Police have conducted digital forensics on her phone, and an autopsy will be carried out.

Police believe she entered a suicide pact with the man through an online community. According to a blog post he uploaded Monday, he was with her up until her death but left before she jumped.

A captured image of the 'depression community' the deceased reportedly used before her suicide.

The two are reported to have met through an online community named "depression gallery." Both of them were active on the site before their meeting.

He posted online that he was looking for someone to join him in jumping from a building he found, and that he plans to have a nice meal, go to a karaoke and talk about life before the joint suicide.

According to the man's blog, he changed his mind about suicide, and asked her to rethink their plan and left.

However, the man's actions could violate Article 252 of the Criminal Act, which outlaws abetting suicide.

The law states that anyone that instigates or abets another to commit suicide could be punished by imprisonment of up to 10 years.

"He could be charged with assisted killing if his plan has abetted her suicide, regardless of his intention to commit suicide as well when he devised the plan," said a lawyer from Pyeong An law firm.

By Park Soong-joo(soongjoopark@heraldcorp.com)