Townsville schoolgirl Adiel Boyd, 12, dies by suicide as cyber-bullying to blame, family say

The devastated mother of a “remarkable young girl” who died by suicide four days after Christmas says our kids are getting “lost” in social media’s cruel world of cyber-bullying.

12-year-old Adiel Boyd is being remembered as a 'remarkable' girl after she died by suicide on December 29, 2024.

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The devastated mother of a “remarkable young girl” who died by suicide four days after Christmas says our kids are getting “lost” in social media’s cruel world of cyber-bullying.

The family of 12-year-old Townsville schoolgirl Adiel Boyd want to honour her memory by raising awareness of suicide prevention and cyber-bullying among young people as they prepare to bury the baby of the family.

The youngest of four and a student at Aitkenvale State School, Adiel’s mother Victoria Boyd said her little girl was “close to perfection” and excelled at school, played multiple instruments and spoke three languages.

12-year-old Adiel Boyd is being remembered as a 'remarkable' girl after she died by suicide on December 29, 2024.

“She was a remarkable little girl, remarkable,” Ms Boyd said.

“She was very bright, very intelligent, and she was very loving. She loved everyone. Adiel was such a bright girl and everyone that she knew in her life had a big impact on both parties, on Adiel and the person she interacted with.

“She was the baby of us all.”

A devastated Ms Boyd said the whole extended family were heartbroken by the sudden loss, with the reality of Adiel’s passing still not feeling real.

“It’s very shocking, none of us can believe this has happened. Not Adiel,” her grieving mother said.

12-year-old Adiel Boyd is being remembered as a 'remarkable' girl after she died by suicide on December 29, 2024.

Hoping to raise awareness of bullying on social media, Ms Boyd said social media was a hard space to navigate as a parent and that it could be hard to know what is being said and shared.

“Children are lost in social media, it’s the most dangerous tool for a parent because there is a closed space there that I really, really try hard to get into but it’s a closed space, social media,” Ms Boyd said.

“That is where it was all occurring, in the school grounds, on social media. She was being bullied by her friends. She was just too beautiful and she just couldn’t comprehend.”

Ms Boyd said more needed to be done to combat cyber-bullying and help remind young children that they are loved and valued.

“We need to take care of them,” she said.

“We need to look after them. We need to let them know that they are loved. We need to let them know they are cared for, we need to let the children know that there is love there.

“They need to feel that compassion from everyone.”

12-year-old Adiel Boyd is being remembered as a 'remarkable' girl after she died by suicide on December 29, 2024.

Adiel’s older sister Tameka has created a GoFundMe page, which has reached over $7000 in donations to help support the family and help lay Adiel in her final resting place, writing on the page that her little sister “left a birthmark on everybody that she knew in her 12 short years of life”.

If you or someone you know needs help, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 / kidshelpline.com.au

Originally published as Townsville schoolgirl Adiel Boyd, 12, dies by suicide as cyber-bullying to blame, family say