Health Alert

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― It was a real world tragedy played out in an online world as 19-year-old Florida resident Abraham Biggs took his own life live via web cam Wednesday.

"On a normal day, you really couldn't tell that he got as low as he did," explained Abraham's sister Rosalind Biggs.

"But, that's the nature of bipolarism."

The teen's tragic death became the subject of online banter as viewers logged on to justin.tv to watch Biggs swallow a combination of pills.

"I find it very sad that people sit back at home and watch something like that and not call some help for him," said Abraham Biggs Senior.

Instead, some opted to egg Biggs on while others accused him of faking it. After several hours, only one person alerted authorities.

"The anonymity, the lack of reality checks in the online world can lead to this kind of thing," said Temple University Psychologist Frank Farley.

Farley refers to the situation as an example of the bystander effect, a situation in which something terrible happens and those watching do nothing.

"One of the things I'd like to know is how many people thought it was real and how many thought it was fake because if a signifiacant number of people watching thought it was real, then we have a real, serious problem," said Farley.

Research on the bystander effect in an online context remains limited. Still, Farley urges internet users to tap into their moral responsibility and take action at the first sign of danger.

If you'd like to weigh in on the issue, click here.

Then, tell us whether or not the internet users had a responsibility to take action in the poll located to the right of this text.

Below you will find responses from CBS3.com users who have already joined the discussion:

3:32 PM - sasha — sad state our society is in. In defense it is hard to say with all the bs online and in genereal going on. But on the other hand a phone call in vain is better than nothing at all. And for their to just have one person report it shame on all the viewer ,shame on the network you shows that stuff. The world could be a better place with one godd act/deed at a time.

Parents watch and supervise your kids closer, the answer is not to let them be online hours after hours. I got two teenage kids and they have limited access to the computer. Sorry for the famiies lost, prayers are with them. Hopefully that will wake up some people. It takes all of us to work together to make a different, not your neighbor YOU stand up and do the right thing it might safe a brother,father,sister,daughter life.  

1:44 PM - Kimmie — Thanks for covering this issue, Nicole.   It's bad enough that suicides that occur in isolation can't be stopped in advance, but to think that a suicide that is broadcast over the internet can't be stopped makes me ill.  Regardless of whether there was one person viewing or there were 1000 people viewing, I would hold each person morally responsible for alerting authorities.  If the suicide victim were one of the "silent viewers'" friends or family members, I would imagine that these silent viewers would expect for others to help save the lives of their loved ones.

Not only did Abraham take his own life; he significantly hurt the lives of those around him.   His successful suicide attempt via the internet was, more than likely, a cry for help.  As with every suicidal individual, there is always a certain part of him or her that truly desires to live.  It's a matter of bringing those feelings to the forefront, and in Abraham's case, no one saved him soon enough to give him that chance. 

I am truly passionate about this issue, particularly as it relates to why our youth are taking their own lives so frequently.  In an age where busy schedules and technology absorb much of humanity's time, people in our society still need to remember what is most important: looking after eachother and ensuring eachother's utmost happiness.   Maybe....just maybe...this could help solve a lot of our world's problems. 

1:12 PM - JoAnne — The amount of anonymous voyeurism which occurs on the internet at any given time is disturbing enough, but when individuals engage in viewing the taking of another human being's life as "entertainment," that is a sad, sick and extremely disturbing commentary on the depraved levels to which our society has lowered itself.  It also suggests that we as individuals and as a society need to take a good, long, hard look at the manner in which we are raising our children and begin to bring the "human" back into the beings which we are responsible for bringing into this world.

8:55 AM - Jo P — Teens today don't have parents around. They are left to their own devices to raise themselves. With no one who seems to care, their only solace and source of attention and connection is the faceless internet.

Parents think that once their child is grown that their responsibility ends.  That is furthest from the truth: Your child is your child forever and no matter what time in their lifespan they need help you need to be there.

This mother should be ashamed: She is a nurse, no less.  You are spending your life caring for others, what happened to your duty to care for your own son? This should haunt you for the rest of your life because you neglected your primary duty: to heed and care for your child who you gave birth to.

Let this be a lesson to other parents and mothers who want to work full time: Don't have kids if you want to work and don't shirk your responsibility as a parent.

I am a parent of 3 and a grandmother of 2. So I know what responsibility is and I know that I care because my kids will always come first, no matter what.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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