Devastated mum turns off her 13-year-old daughter’s life support after she tried to kill herself by walking into oncoming traffic – moments after turning back to give her family her final smile
- Kate Savage, 13, tried to take her own life 10 times in just two months recently
- She stepped in front of a car on Wednesday and suffered critical injuries
- Her devastated mother Meron had to switch off her life support on Thursday
- Ms Savage said the mental health system in Perth failed her young daughter
- Family all have mental health issues and raising money for funeral and therapy
The devastated mother of a 13-year-old girl who tried to take her own life 10 times in two months has revealed she smiled at her family before stepping into oncoming traffic.
Meron Savage made the excruciating decision to turn off her daughter Kate’s life support on Thursday evening, one day after she suffered critical injuries when she was hit by a car.
The teenager was on her way home from therapy at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and had asked to visit the local pet store first.
After the visit, where she seemed ‘really happy’ she stopped on the a highway in Perth and turned back to look at her parents and sister.
‘She stopped at the kerb and turned around to look at us, smiled… and she hasn’t woken up since,’ Ms Savage told 9News on Thursday.
Kate Savage’s (pictured) mother turned off her life support on Thursday. Kate had been hospitalised 10 separate times in the last two months alone for trying to take her own life
Kate had been hospitalised 10 separate times in the last two months alone for trying to take her own life.
Each time, she was admitted into a ward for a few days before medical teams determined she was free to leave again.
Ms Savage believes the mental health system in Perth let her daughter down.
‘There was nowhere – there is nowhere – for suicidal teens,’ she said.
‘She was so severely suicidal by then that she was trying to take her life all the time – anything, everything, constantly.
‘The crisis was never over. She would come home and she’d have another attempt.’
Ms Savage believes the mental health system in Perth let her daughter down. ‘There was nowhere – there is nowhere – for suicidal teens,’ she said
Kate stopped on the a highway in Perth and turned back to look at her parents and sister before stepping in front of a car
Ms Savage has vowed to fight for a change to the system in Kate’s honour following her tragic death.
The family created a fundraiser to ease the financial burden of Kate’s funeral and future therapy.
‘Kate has succumbed to her long standing mental illness,’ Ms Savage explained on the fundraiser.
‘She leaves behind a devastated sister, mother and father each with their own mental illnesses.
‘Any donations to help us get through this difficult time and help with funeral and therapy costs would be appreciated.’
Almost 130 people have donated in excess of $11,000 since the fundraiser began.
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She was rushed to hospital with critical injuries but her mother had to switch off her life support on Thursday