Jewish college was ‘in denial’ over bullying of 14-year-old woman

A Jewish college was ‘in denial’ over bullying of 14-year-old woman who took her personal life after being suffering from a bunch of boys for years, an inquest heard immediately. 

Mia Janin, a yr 10 pupil on the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kenton, north-west London, was discovered useless at her household residence in Harrow on March 12, 2021. 

Barnet Coroner’s Court heard statements from kids in Mia’s yr describe how she was bullied on-line and in individual for the three years she attended the college. 

The inquest was informed how a Snapchat group was utilized by Mia’s tormentors to mock {the teenager} and submit nude pictures of her and different feminine college students. 

The college denies being conscious of the bullying and the difficulties it was inflicting Mia, however pupils declare they will need to have been conscious however did nothing to cease it.

In statements learn out to the the inquest, one in all Mia’s buddies mentioned: ‘JFS most likely did learn about Mia’s bullying. Could they not see something? How did they miss the bullying that was occurring in entrance of them?’

Another added: ‘The college was in denial on a regular basis. They did not know she was being bullied and did not maintain those that bullied her accountable. 

One of the statements described how the group of boys bullied her and different college students ‘on buses, class and at residence’. 

Another described how boys kicked footballs at her and her buddies, while additionally filming her and calling her names. 

Some of them described how one of many boys labelled Mia’s friendship group the ‘suicide squad’ seven months earlier than Mia took her personal life, and that this identify caught.

They additionally described the Snapchat group chat named ‘Panacha’ which included greater than 60 boys from JFS and presumably different colleges. 

The pupils claimed this chat was broadly identified about on the college.

Boys used the chat, the inquest heard, to submit messages mocking women on the college, and to submit pictures of their faces superimposed onto nude our bodies of porn stars.

One mentioned in addition they used the group to share nude pictures of ladies on the college, which they pressured women to ship them.

In their proof Mia’s buddies mentioned that they had not seen the group, however knew when somebody had been focused as a result of the boys would discuss it in school.

One baby, who described the group as ‘intimidating’ and ‘disrespectful’ mentioned: ‘I by no means noticed the group chat however did know issues can be shared on it as a result of individuals would discuss what was being shared in school.’

A TikTok video she posted the night earlier than she died criticising two of her bullies was shared on the Snapchat group.

This led to Mia feeling intensely anxious and he or she left a voice observe with a good friend by which she mentioned she was ‘mentally making ready herself to get bullied’ on account of the video.

Various the youngsters mentioned that the following day she appeared ‘regular’, however one in all her buddies recalled a dialog that they had had at lunch: ‘She mentioned ‘in case you died, would individuals care about you the following day?’

‘I did not assume it was an enormous deal, we laughed it off,’ she mentioned.

Most of the youngsters who gave statements knew Mia was being bullied, however did not know the way dangerous issues had been getting, with one saying: ‘She hid it very well.’ 

The inquest heard that the Snapchat group was deleted on the request of Rabbi Cohen, the college safeguarding lead, a couple of weeks after Mia’s dying.

Mia’s father Mariano Janin gave a transferring speech by which he described his daughter as a ‘particular individual’.

‘Mia was a particular individual. She was lovely, shiny and lively, full of sunshine,’ he mentioned.

‘On the final night time of Mia’s life we had been sitting on the desk having dinner, and he or she informed us she had a tough week.

‘I used to be stunned as to what she mentioned, as she had solely been again in school someday. She mentioned she needed to go away JFS.

‘Marisa [Mia’s mother] informed her she might and we might look into residence education.

‘I used to be very involved what would have occurred after someday in school, that she ought to come residence distressed.

‘I did not realis e on the time simply how dangerous issues had been for her.’

Mr Janin mentioned that when he dropped Mia off in school on 12 March 2021, 18 hours earlier than her dying, she had been ‘filled with plans’ for the long run.

He mentioned she had plans to take up drama once more, and to go on vacation to Greece in the summertime.

‘The solely factor she requested me was permission to go together with her buddies to Camden Market on Saturday,’ he mentioned.

‘She was planning the weekend and beginning to plan the vacations and planning to begin cheerleading and drama once more.’

Mr Janin requested the coroner: ‘Can you guarantee me she was not the sufferer of a pornography ring inside the college? Can you inform me this? This might be my objective, to seek out the reply to this query.’

The coroner assured him that ‘something that occurred within the college is what we’re . There isn’t any proof that Mia was concerned in that.’

The inquest is scheduled to complete tomorrow.

• For confidential assist name the Samaritans on 116123 or go to a neighborhood Samaritans department, see www.samaritans.org for particulars