Here are the remarks in full from coroner Andrew Walker as he concluded the inquest into Molly Russell’s death.
“Molly Rose Russell (died) on 21 November 2017. Molly was 14-years old.
“Molly appeared a normal healthy girl who was flourishing at school, having settled well into secondary school life and displayed an enthusiastic interest in the performing arts.
“However, Molly had become depressed, a common condition affecting children of this age. This then worsened into a depressive illness.
“Molly subscribed to a number of online sites.
“At the time that these sites were viewed by Molly some of these sites were not safe as they allowed access to adult content that should not have been available for a 14-year-old child to see.
“The way that the platforms operated meant that Molly had access to images, video clips and text concerning or concerned with self-harm, suicide or that were otherwise negative or depressing in nature.
“The platform operated in such a way using algorithms as to result, in some circumstances, of binge periods of images, video-clips and text, some of which were selected and provided without Molly requesting them.
“These binge periods, if involving this content, are likely to have had a negative effect of Molly.
“Some of this content romanticised acts of self-harm by young people on themselves.
“Other content sought to isolate and discourage discussion with those who may have been able to help.
“Molly turned to celebrities for help not realising there was little prospect of a reply.
“In some cases, the content was particularly graphic, tending to portray self-harm and suicide as an inevitable consequence of a condition that could not be recovered from.
“The sites normalised her condition, focusing on a limited and irrational view without any counterbalance of normality.
“It is likely that the above material viewed by Molly, already suffering with a depressive illness and vulnerable due to her age, affected her mental health in a negative way and contributed to her death in a more than minimal way.
“Molly Rose Russell died from an act of self-harm whilst suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content.”
