Youth suicides in county more than doubled in a year

  • By Sharon Salyer Herald Writer
  • Thursday, April 28, 2016 7:57pm
  • Local News

EVERETT — It stunned school, public health and community leaders: Youth suicide rates in Snohomish County more than doubled in one year.

A dozen youths, including a 12-year-old, took their lives in 2015. Half used firearms; the others hanged themselves, according to the Snohomish Health District. That compares with five youth suicides in 2014.

“The suicides in 2015 are a wake-up call to all of us that this is a serious problem and we really need community-wide action,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Multiple youth suicides occurred in some cities during 2015, including three in Stanwood, and two each in Everett and Mukilteo. A single student suicide was reported in Monroe, Marysville, Snohomish, Bothell and Lynnwood.

After reviewing the deaths, some of the common factors were a history of depression, self harm such as cutting, access to firearms and high-achieving students whose academic performance noticeably declined.

The jump in suicides last year was one factor that led to the creation of a free, one-day mental health fair focusing on childhood and parenting issues. It’s scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7 at Evergreen Middle School in Everett. Sixteen workshops will be presented on topics such as signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety, bullying and building a strong parent-child bond.

“This is a terrific resource for the community,” Goldbaum said. “This isn’t about knowing we have a problem but doing something about the problem.”

So far this year, there has been one confirmed student suicide. An 18-year-old from Marysville killed himself April 21. He was enrolled in a program called Open Doors Youth Reengagement, according to the Marysville School District. The program assists students who have dropped out of school or are not expected to graduate from high school by the age of 21.

Wendy Burchill, a Healthy Communities specialist for the health district, said she has reviewed suicide cases since 2002, and typically there are between one and five youth suicides countywide each year.

Snohomish Health District officials were so concerned about the rising number of youth suicides last year that they released information totaling the numbers for the 2014-2015 school year. The data included Jaylen Fryberg, the 15-year-old who killed four classmates in a Marysville Pilchuck High School cafeteria Oct. 24, 2014, before turning the gun on himself.

Since the school year overlaps the calendar year, some of the 12 youth suicides in 2015 have previously been reported.

The last two were in Mukilteo during December and separated by 10 days. They involved a middle school girl, 13, and a high school boy, 16. It’s not thought they knew each other, but suicides “have a huge ripple effect,” because friends of the siblings who died are affected, too, Burchill said.

Some of the suicides, such as the December deaths in Mukilteo, occurred during breaks in the school year. Such breaks take kids out of their routines. “For a lot of kids, school is their safe zone,” Burchill said. “They don’t want to be isolated at home.”

A group of local experts, including representatives from public health, the medical examiner’s office, law enforcement, the juvenile court system, the county’s Human Services department and school counselors meet several times a year to review childhood deaths to look for trends.

They have discussed whether extra support should be available to students during school year breaks. This could include opening community centers for longer hours or providing activities at schools during breaks, Burchill said.

State law requires public schools to provide suicide-prevention training to middle and high school students. In Marysville, the program began this year at Cedarcrest Middle School and it will be provided to all middle and high school students during the next school year.

“Prevention, prevention, the earlier the better,” said Josh Webb, the district’s director of counseling. “We know that asking a student about suicide or depression doesn’t plant the idea in their brain.”

In the Edmonds School District, all middle and high school students received suicide prevention training this school year. Middle school students are told that “if they hear anything or see anything that concerns them, it’s their job to tell a trusted adult,” said JoAnna Rockwood, a school psychologist at Alderwood Middle School.

Edmonds high school students are shown a videotaped presentation with interviews from young people who have survived suicide and with the parents and friends of youth who ended their own lives.

One of the things that surprised those who studied Snohomish County’s youth suicides is how many were high-achieving students.

“There’s the stereotype that it’s the loners,” Burchill said. Most of the students were involved in their school community, either academically or athletically.

While caring adults may want to look for a pattern, “with suicide there is no pattern,” said Gabrielle Fraley, a Snohomish Health District epidemiologist. “That’s why we want to emphasize that just because your child has a lot of friends or seems happy, you never know what’s going on in their head unless you talk to them.”

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen goes through an informational slideshow about the current budget situation in Edmonds during a roundtable event at the Edmonds Waterfront Center on Monday, April 7, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor recommends $19M levy lid lift for November

The city’s biennial budget assumed a $6 million levy lid lift. The final levy amount is up to the City Council.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Snohomish County property owners can prepare for wildfire season

Clean your roofs, gutters and flammable material while completing a 5-foot-buffer around your house.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. (Olivia Vanni/The Herald)
Providence Everett issues layoff notices to over 100 nursing assistants

The layoffs are part of a larger restructuring by Providence, affecting 600 positions across seven states, Providence announced Thursday.

Junelle Lewis, right, daughter Tamara Grigsby and son Jayden Hill sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during Monroe’s Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Where to celebrate Juneteenth in Snohomish County this year

Celebrations last from Saturday to Thursday, and span Lynnwood, Edmonds, Monroe and Mountlake Terrace.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Lake Stevens in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Judge rules in favor of sewer district in Lake Stevens dispute

The city cannot assume the district earlier than agreed to in 2005, a Snohomish County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday.

Herald staff photo by Michael O'Leary 070807
DREAMLINER - The first Boeing 787 is swarmed by the crowd attending the roll out of the plane in on July 8, 2007 at the Boeing assembly facility in Everett.
Plane in Air India crash tragedy was built in Everett

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the crash that killed more than 200 people was shipped from Everett to Air India in 2014.

Photo courtesy of Kristi Nebel
Folk duo Steve and Kristi Nebel will be among the musical acts performing at the Edmonds Arts Festival, which takes place Friday through Sunday.
Photo courtesy of Kristi Nebel
Folk duo Steve and Kristi Nebel will be among the musical acts performing at the Edmonds Arts Festival, which takes place Friday through Sunday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

The Daily Herald relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in