Teenager commits suicide live on internet

A 19-year-old committed suicide after taking a drug overdose live on the internet, a medical investigator said today.

Abraham Biggs, from Pembroke Pines in Broward County, Florida, took the drug overdose on a live video streaming website on Wednesday.

He then posted a suicide note on another site and died several hours later, the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed.

Mr Biggs broadcast his overdose and subsequent collapse on the website Justin.tv.

More than 1,000 viewers are reported to have watched as he lay dying.

The footage has since been taken down.

Wendy Crane, medical/legal death investigator from the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, said Mr Biggs had died of combined drug toxicity.

She said: "The incident occurred on Wednesday. He was blogging, he put a link on the blog which was linked to a web cam.

"He stated that he had taken an overdose of prescribed medication and later posted a suicide note."

She added: "Throughout the day several messages were posted saying he was not moving and asking "should we call the police?"

She said that eventually a site administrator was contacted who called the authorities.

The manner of Mr Biggs's death was recorded as suicide, she said.

Police were reportedly seen on the website stream entering the 19-year-old's room where he lay prone, before switching off the web cam.

Nobody from Pembroke Pines Police Department was available for comment today.

Justin.tv released a statement from chief executive Michael Seibel, which read: "Justin.tv staff would like to take a moment to recognise and reflect upon the tragedy that occurred within our community today.

"We regret that this has occurred and want to respect the privacy of the broadcaster and his family during this time."

A spokeswoman for Justin.tv added: "We have policies in place to discourage the distribution of distressing content and the community monitors the site accordingly.

"This content was flagged by our community, reviewed, and removed according to our terms of service."

Mr Biggs's death mirrors that of Kevin Whitrick who died in March last year.

Mr Whitrick, 42, from Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, committed suicide while being watched by others on a web cam.