At least 13 people have died by suicide and 59 contemplated it due to the UK's Post Office scandal, where nearly 1,000 postal workers were wrongly convicted based on faulty Horizon computer system data, leading to significant personal and financial harm. The scandal, which persisted from 1999 to 2015, was only fully exposed recently, prompting government action to reverse convictions and compensate victims.
A public inquiry into the UK Post Office Horizon IT scandal found that over 13 people may have committed suicide as a result of wrongful prosecutions caused by faulty software, with many others suffering severe mental health issues and financial hardship. The report criticizes the Post Office's handling of the situation and calls for urgent, fair compensation and restorative justice measures. The scandal is considered one of the worst miscarriages of justice in UK history.
Four current or former Los Angeles County sheriff's employees, including a captain, a retired deputy, a custody assistant, and a deputy, were found dead in apparent suicides over a span of two days. The deaths are unrelated, and the causes of death are still being investigated. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department expressed deep sadness and shock over the loss of these beloved members of their department family. Crisis support resources are available for those in need.
British police are investigating the deaths of 88 people in the U.K. who purchased lethal substances from Canadian self-harm websites. The investigation is part of international inquiries following the arrest of Kenneth Law in Canada, who has been charged with counseling and aiding suicide. Law allegedly used websites to sell sodium nitrite, a deadly substance, and is suspected of sending over 1,200 packages to more than 40 countries. The U.K.'s National Crime Agency has identified 232 people who bought products from these websites, 88 of whom have died. No confirmed links have been established between the purchased items and cause of death.
The Pima County Medical Examiner has released the annual death report, which shows that drug overdoses are the biggest category of preventable deaths, with fentanyl being the leading cause. However, there has been progress in preventing overdose deaths among teenagers. Suicides were up significantly in most age groups, especially among those 70 years of age and older, likely linked to the lingering effects of the pandemic. The number of pedestrians killed jumped by nearly 30%, and the number of people who died from heat-related illnesses nearly tripled year to year.
Death rates among American children have risen to the highest level in nearly 15 years, with homicides, drug overdoses, car accidents, and suicides being the main drivers. This is a reversal of decades of progress in healthcare and safety.
