A woman who died in a chemical suicide pact with a stranger she met online received advice and encouragement on suicide websites in the days leading up to her death.
Tragic Joanne Lee, 34, and Steve Lumb 35, were found dead in a car in Braintree, Essex on Monday with chemical warning signs posted on the vehicle.
Joanne – writing on a German online forum – told of her repeated failed suicide bids.
Sick cyber ‘friends’ responded by giving her tips on how to successfully kill herself and expressed their sorrow that she had failed to end her life.
Reclusive Joanne, who is believed to have suffered from severe anorexia, then wrote asking for a partner to help her commit suicide.
On September 13 she wrote an online ”advert” begging for someone to help her end her life using H2S – hydrogen sulphide.
She wrote: ”Hi, I’m *desperately* seeking a pact in the UK. I’m 34, female, and live in the Essex area.
”My Preferred method is H2S, I have all the ingredients, I know a bit about H2S and you should know a bit about H2S too.
”You should have a car, be able to drive, and be willing to pick me up when it is time to ctb. My time frame is *As Soon As Possible*.
”If you are *very* serious, please email me.”
Trucker Steve, from Sowerby Bridge, Yorks., is believed to have contacted Joanne under his username ”endthis”.
At 2.45pm on Sunday he wrote a ”goodbye” message revealing his plans to CTB, catch the bus or commit suicide.
He wrote: ”Im just saying goodbye im ctb today, and to all you people suffering i hope you find what your looking for.
”i will be travelling via h2s method hope to see you on the other side.
”take care everyone.”
The tragic case raises serious questions about the monitoring of websites where users openly discuss suicide ‘techniques’.
Joanne lived alone in a maisonette in Great Notley, near Braintree Essex, where she is believed to have carried out several botched suicide attempts.
On her Twitter account Joanne wrote about her hope to commit suicide saying: ”I can not *wait* until Monday the 30th of August 2010”.
But on the day, she wrote on ‘Freak Search’: ”I couldn’t fit in to my closet aswell (sic) as having my bucket in there with me.
”Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.”
One friend, who wrote as ‘Abortion Wannabe’ encouraged Joanne to ensure her bathroom was ”airtight” and said she was ”sorry” to hear the bid had failed.
‘Abortion Wannabe’ then advised Joanne to try in her bathroom if it was small enough.
Joanne replied that her bathroom had ”a toilet, a sink and a bath” but as she was just five foot two inches tall she could not reach to measure it fully.
Another online friend, ‘billspills’, advised Joanne to ”seal up” her bathroom and put the bucket in the bath with her to concentrate the gas.
He ended the message with: ”good luck no matter what, I’ll be joining you shortly”.
One day later, ‘Pineal Le’Exich’ told Joanne that ”H2S in a car seems ideal but leave a warning note” as bathroom plumbing might ”risk leaks”.
In another post, written on August 27, Joanne asked for advice on whether to eat before CTB, which stands for ”Catch the bus” – online slang for suicide.
She wrote: ”Is it ok to eat on the day you ctb with H2S or is it like an OD where you have to have an empty stomach?”
Following her failed suicide attempts Joanne posted on a website on September 4 in an attempt to find a partner.
On September 18 she emailed a man believe to be Steve using the username ”Anon ymous” and by September 20 she had taken her own life.
