Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Assisted suicide website led to daughter's suicide death.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition



On May 22, 2019; Jackie Bieber found her daughter Shawn Shatto on her bedroom floor unresponsive and cold. She attempted CPR but in vain. 

Initially she did not realize that Shawn had died by a suicide. What she would soon learn was that her daughter, who had been dealing with depression and anxiety, was provided lethal directions and encouraged to die by suicide through an assisted suicide website.

An article written by Jennifer Passmore, published by Moms.com explains:

Shawn had been dealing with depression and anxiety for years, and had been seeing a therapist and took medication. Originally, Bieber didn't think her daughter took her own life. That is, until she had found several disturbing things on her daughter's cell phone, including messages from a website that teaches people how to commit suicide.
Shatto's aunt, Elizabeth Hoffman said, "They were cheering her on to the finish line of a suicide." On the post, various people were telling her what kind of drugs to mix in order to kill herself. Then they had the audacity to wish her 'good luck' and 'safe travels.' Bieber believes if it was not for that website, her daughter may still be alive today.
Jackie responded by wanting to protect people like her daughter by working to get Shawn's Law (House Bill 1827) passed. Passmore states:
Ever since the day Shawn took her life, Jackie has been advocating for "Shawn's Law," which "strengthens penalties against anyone who assists in a suicide, but especially anyone who is under the age of 18 or has a mental disability." Bieber would like to see Shawn's Law signed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. She doesn't want anyone to feel as lost and hopeless as her daughter did the day she died.
So far, Shawn's Law has passed the House, and is now in the Senate. If you are interested in helping in getting this law passed, you can call your local senator and ask them to vote in favor of the law.
Shawn's law is a proactive way to protect people from assisted suicide and websites that instruct and encourage suicide. 

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition urges the Pennsylvania Senate to pass Shawn's law and Governor Wolf to sign it into law.

Shawn Shatto is not the first person who was struggling with depression and anxiety to come across an assisted suicide website that provided instructions and encouraged suicide.

Don't believe the assisted suicide lobby when they say that suicide and assisted suicide are different, when the assisted suicide lobby is also involved with peddling suicide.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

3 comments:

thomas said...

This law is stupid and violates the first amendment.

appleguy said...

Why is it that the people advocating for other people to take their life seem to get so much pleasure from doing that? By getting other people to take their lives are they trying to get enough courage to suicide themselves? Maybe, but I think they are the minority.

I think, the vast majority of the people advocating other people cheering on other people to suicide have the darkest of hearts & like to see death in other people. God, created life and is the only one authorized to take it away. The devil (satan) loves death and everyone who takes a life or cheers for others to take their life is a victory for satan. Who, are you for?

As, for the First Amendment. By law, you have to be 18 years old to vote and are not considered an adult able to make adult decisions. That is all this law is asking for. That the decision to take your own life should be made by an adult and not someone younger. I personally don't advocate for anyone at any age to take their own lives. I've personally had a health problem the past five years that is very difficult to cure and get doctors to seriously treat it. The disease is very detrimental on your body/mind and so hard to cure. It is known to have a 15-20% suicide rate of people that have this disease. There was Never a time while I had this disease that I ever considered suicide. I put my faith in God, used Alternative health treatments and I am now in the final stages of being cured.

We are all blessed with one life in this world. If a life is taken by suicide. What exactly do you think you will find in the next (eternal) life? We are all eternal spiritual beings in a temporary physical body. This lifetime. that you have been blessed with, is your spiritual test. Do you love life (God) or death (satan)? I'll pray that you make the right choice.

Peace!

Doug said...

Has it even occurred to you that not everybody follows your religion? Why do you feel the need to thump your religious beliefs at others? I prefer to base my beliefs on scientific evidence.

Personally I'm glad assisted-dying is legalized in Canada and its being expanded for conditions that are debilitating and severe even though they are non-terminal. To me it's about quality of life, and should I ever suffer from such a condition it's comforting to know I have the option of a dignified death of my own choosing.