A seven-year-old girl from Hastings, Sussex was found hanged while the Bratz DVD was playing in her bedroom.
Siana Hannon apparently hanged herself with a pink dressing gown cord while watching the kids’ movie minutes after playing with her three younger brothers.
The Bratz DVD was still playing when her body was discovered by her obviously distraught mother. An inquest could not decide whether the child, who was a huge Bratz fan, had attempted to copy anything that appeared in the movie but that seems extremely unlikely as there are no such scenes in the film which espouses values such as friendship and being true to oneself.
However, the coroner warned that children could be influenced by events they see on TV. He said: “I believe Siana was playing out a game which may have involved the notion of killing herself.
“However, a child that age could not understand the concept that a play death was final and irreversible.”
The PG rated film certainly does not contain anything resembling suicide. The only element of the film that some felt could have triggered the tragic action was a part of the story concerning a girl upset about her parents' separation.
Siana’s father is estranged from the family.
Her mum described the day of her death as “a normal Sunday morning” and said she was in a “playful mood”. Tracey told the inquest she went in Siana’s room and then “I turned round and saw her. She was not moving and I realised something was wrong. “I looked up and saw the cord tied around her neck.”
Her mother and subsequently four paramedics could not revive her. The inquest's verdict was misadventure.