Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Woman commended for work to prevent suicides

Updated at 2:17 pm on 28 October 2012

A Coroner has commended the work of a woman in Kawerau who is working to create better support networks for families who have lost young people to suicide.

Wallace Bain was investigating deaths of four teenagers and a 20-year-old who all took their lives there over a six month period in 2010 and 2011. He found the deaths were not related.

In the findings, he praised Michelle Elliott, whose son was among those who committed suicide, for her work to set up a support network for whanau in Kawerau.

Dr Bain urged agencies dealing with youth suicide to learn from Mrs Elliott's work, to see if it can be used in other suicide prevention strategies around the country.

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