Taiwan police: Woman kills self while on Facebook

A woman in Taiwan killed herself by inhaling poisonous fumes while chatting with friends on Facebook and none of them alerted authorities, police said Tuesday.

Claire Lin killed herself on her 31st birthday, March 18, and family members who reported her suicide were unaware of the Facebook conversations that accompanied it, Taipei police officer Hsieh Ku-ming said.

Lin's last Facebook entries show her chatting with nine friends, alerting them to her gradual asphyxiation. One picture uploaded from her mobile phone depicts a charcoal barbecue burning next to two stuffed animals. Another shows the room filled with fumes.

One friend identified as Chung Hsin, told Lin, "Be calm, open the window, put out the charcoal fire, please, I beg you."

Lin replied: "The fumes are suffocating. They fill my eyes with tears. Don't write me anymore."

Lin's last words, in Chinese, were: "Too late. My room is filled with fumes. I just posted another picture. Even while I'm dying, I still want FB (Facebook). Must be FB poison. Haha."

Wow, none of them called the police, so sad...
Well, all I can say is R.I.P

Link

That really strikes me hard as the type of story to put in a time capsule which adds to a picture of the times. In this case, the sheer madness of humans coming to live as much or more in electronic realities than in the real world.

It is tragic that her friends didn't act to stop this, but no more so than her own final words. That is a haunting statement to make.

...and the world still spins...without a care really.

thats why I live for myself! cause you don't know when you're going to die, or who will even give a crap.

people have been killing themselves forever. it's really their choice. not that it enhances their life(haha well how could it?) or any one elses. and it's a selfesh thing to do. im sure there were people attached to her. but still her choice.

This is pure madness, really. Theres no other words.

Last week one of my cross-country friends posted a "potential" suicide note on Facebook. It scared me.

I didn't know what to do. This friend was in another state, and we had renewed our aquaintence over facebook. She didn't have any phone numbers listed on her account, and no address. I knew the city she lived in, but that was all.

I searched through her friend list until I found someone who had posted their phone number. I got a voice mail, explained my fears, and left my phone number. Then, not knowing what else to do, I called a minister at a church in the area. It was my former church and I knew the minister. I explained what was happening, read him the post, and he said he'd find out.

Few minutes later the friend I called called me back. She was on her way to check on the poster. The minister found her address and they met at the poster's house. She was okay, thank heavens, but obviously needed help.

In hind sight, I probably could have found her information online if I'd thought of it, but when you panic.....

Take potential threats seriously. Maybe its nothing, but you never know.

The western culture is huge with FB and electronics..............and were just as guilty as anyone ...

But something still vexes me with the Asian culture and electronics.......they seem to have severe severe addictions with them and im not sure WHY

Internet gaming is bad here, But there have been a huge amount of asian countries of people dying from no food or sleep from playing games, or their children dying from starving to death while they play..

Facebook is another one there, this isnt the only account of something bizzare happening with the asian cultures and technology.......

Is it because they have limited access to other activities? Is it the nature of over population in those areas?

Seriously interesting.........now im gonna have to ask some of my friends in China and Japan about this question

reply to post by smyleegrl

You saved some one and you should be proud of it. Westerners are more caring and would not think twice to help even those they do not know. Here in Asia...you are left to your own devices so if you are suicidal and even if you give any hint of it no one is going to stop you. If you want to commit suicide in Asia do not stand on the ledge of a highrise building cos everyone will urge/dare you to jump. Too many Asians I think...less man more share and no one cares.

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask

Yes Asians are addicted to the Internet. I am one of them. Its not like we do not have any other activities here in Asia..well in fact we have lots of activities. There are malls where we can hang out, enjoy good food and book stores where you can sit and browse magazines or paperbacks without anyone to bother you the whole day through. Asians are not so much into physical activities so the Internet with its wealth of informations is a very good and beneficial alternative. The Internet is the window to the world with so many interesting things to digest...man you can go on and on. We have beaches here but Asians do not like the sun, are not into wind surfing, skiing or snorkeling. Asians also tend to keep to themselves so the computer is their best friend.

Originally posted by slanteye
reply to post by ManBehindTheMask

 

Yes Asians are addicted to the Internet. I am one of them. Its not like we do not have any other activities here in Asia..well in fact we have lots of activities. There are malls where we can hang out, enjoy good food and book stores where you can sit and browse magazines or paperbacks without anyone to bother you the whole day through. Asians are not so much into physical activities so the Internet with its wealth of informations is a very good and beneficial alternative. The Internet is the window to the world with so many interesting things to digest...man you can go on and on. We have beaches here but Asians do not like the sun, are not into wind surfing, skiing or snorkeling. Asians also tend to keep to themselves so the computer is their best friend.

thats interesting.........ive always been curious it seemed like a cultural thing........not that we dont have a lot of that here in the states.....

but it always made me wonder why it seems to be more prominent in that area of the world

I closed my FB account awhile back. It brought me emotionally, back to when I was a teenage reject. Now, I'm a middle aged and ageing reject, but didn't care. (Until FB!) To h*** with that.

I can't believe her friends did nothing!

Years ago before Facebook and all the other social media apps and blogs I chatted on IRC and kinda became the "mother" to a bunch of young teens. One day this 14 year old boy came on line, private messaged me the text file he was leaving on his computer desktop for his parents to find....describing his reasons for suicide and what he was taking. Said goodbye and logged off. The fact that he did not give me a chance to talk him out of it made me take it very seriously. I checked his IP, tracked it to his ISP and called them. They contacted his parents and in the end he was glad I was there