Chloe Davidson, 19, was found dead at her family home in Lanchester, County Durham, on December 20
A heartbroken mother says teenagers need more support around using social media after her ‘bubbly’ daughter took her own life five days before Christmas.
Chloe Davison, 19, was found dead at her family home in Lanchester, County Durham, on December 20.
Her grieving mum, Clair Reynolds, 44, says the family did not celebrate Christmas and doubts they will ever again.
Chloe struggled with social anxiety and Clair says more needs to be done to encourage people to talk about their problems.
She told ChronicleLive: ‘Other people did not see what we saw. Chloe was the joker, bubbly and hilarious. She was the life and soul of the party.
‘Chloe was beautiful, but she didn’t see that. She cared so much about how people saw her. She would post a picture on social media and want all her family to like it. If it wasn’t good enough she’d remove it.’
Social media like Facebook and Snapchat ‘took over’ her daughter’s life.
Her mother Clair Reynolds, 44, says more needs to be done to encourage people to talk about their problems. Social media ‘took over’ her daughters life and became a way of ‘getting through the day’. She said: ‘There are too many people out there who can say what they like because it’s not face-to-face’
Chloe with mum Clair, brother Jordan and sister Jade. The family did not celebrate Christmas this year and doubt they will ever again, according to Chloe’s mother
It was Chloe’s way of ‘getting through the day’ as she did not go out much, according to Clair.
And now she is urging for better education on social media for young people.
‘There are too many people out there who can say what they like because it’s not face-to-face.’
‘Bubbly’ Chloe went on to complete health and social care qualifications and had aspirations of being a carer
Chloe had been out with her mum and her friends on December 20, before she returned home at 9pm. It would be the last time Clair saw her daughter alive.
Clair was in a bar when the police told her what had happened at around 11.30pm.
‘It is all a blur to me now. We were so close, she was my baby.’
The former Consett Academy pupil went on to complete health and social care qualifications and had aspirations of being a carer.
The teenager also leaves behind brother Jordan, 22, sister Jade, 20 and her best friend – Lucy the spaniel.
Clair, a Post Office worker, says Christmas will never be the same again for the family.
She added: ‘I took all the Christmas decorations down after she died apart from the Christmas tree because she put it up. I just couldn’t do it.’
Christmas ‘will never be the same’ as her death falls five days before the festive holiday.
Clair’s stepbrother Glenn Scott set up a Gofundme page to help give Chloe the send-off she deserves. And the family has been left overwhelmed by the generosity of people who have collectively donated more than £3,000.
‘The fundraiser shows the upside of social media because without it we would never have raised this much money.
Clair’s step-brother set up a GoFund Me page which has raised more than £3,000 to give Chloe (pictured with her pet Spaniel Lucy) the send-off she deserves. The mother described her daughter as ‘the joker, bubbly and hilarious’, who was always ‘the life and soul of the party’
‘There are no words for how kind and thoughtful people have been.’
Clair said: ‘I can’t say how grateful we are. No family can prepare emotionally for the loss of a child, and many families aren’t prepared financially to give their child a send off they deserve.’
Chloe’s funeral is taking place on January 10 at Mountsett Crematorium from 10.15am.
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See the website here.