Palo Alto Struggles After Rash of Teen Train Suicides - ABC News
A cluster of violent teen suicides in an affluent California town has officials scrambling to figure out why four kids from the same high school took their own lives and how to prevent others from doing the same.
The town of Palo Alto, Calif., is struggling to help it's children after four Gunn High School teens in the last six months have comitted suicide by jumping in front of an oncoming train.(ABC News)
The death of a 16-year-old boy Monday night in Palo Alto was believed to be the fourth suicide of a Gunn High School student since May. In all four cases, the teenagers jumped into the path of an oncoming commuter train operated by Caltrain.
"Parents are eager for information," said Joan Baran, clinical services director of the Children's Health Council in Palo Alto. "I think parents are wanting to know what they can do."
Information about the teenagers and the particulars of their deaths are being closely guarded by school and police officials who fear a public spectacle will only encourage more unstable students to take their lives.
"It's very difficult and it's very sensitive," Caltrain spokeswoman Tasha Bartholomew said today.
A cluster of violent teen suicides in an affluent California town has officials scrambling to figure out why four kids from the same high school took their own lives and how to prevent others from doing the same.
The town of Palo Alto, Calif., is struggling to help it's children after four Gunn High School teens in the last six months have comitted suicide by jumping in front of an oncoming train.(ABC News)
The death of a 16-year-old boy Monday night in Palo Alto was believed to be the fourth suicide of a Gunn High School student since May. In all four cases, the teenagers jumped into the path of an oncoming commuter train operated by Caltrain.
"Parents are eager for information," said Joan Baran, clinical services director of the Children's Health Council in Palo Alto. "I think parents are wanting to know what they can do."
Information about the teenagers and the particulars of their deaths are being closely guarded by school and police officials who fear a public spectacle will only encourage more unstable students to take their lives.
"It's very difficult and it's very sensitive," Caltrain spokeswoman Tasha Bartholomew said today.
