Home / Crime and Justice / Social Media Evidence Key in Reopened Teen Death Inquest
Social Media Evidence Key in Reopened Teen Death Inquest
16 Jul
Summary
- A 14-year-old boy's death inquest is reopened due to social media evidence.
- The high court ruled a fresh inquest examining TikTok challenge evidence.
- New law requires tech firms to preserve child's online data after death.
A landmark decision by the high court has granted a fresh inquest into the death of 14-year-old Jools Sweeney, who passed away in April 2022. His parents, Ellen Roome and Matt Sweeney, suspect the popular online "blackout challenge" on TikTok played a role in their son's demise. The original inquest, which lasted only 23 minutes and did not consider social media evidence, has been overturned.
Lord Justice Warby and Mrs Justice Heather Williams ordered the new inquest, allowing for the examination of previously unconsidered digital evidence. Forensic analysis of Jools' phone revealed data potentially indicating overuse or addiction. This ruling is believed to be the first in England and Wales where the lack of social media evidence was a primary reason for reopening a case.
Roome's advocacy has led to "Jools' Law," now part of the Crime and Policing Act, mandating tech companies to preserve children's online data within five days of their death. TikTok stated it did not oppose the new inquest. Separately, Roome is suing TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, in Delaware, USA.
