The Live Streamed Death of Katelyn Nicole Davis

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14th October 2021  •  3 min read

On the 30th of December, 2016, 12-year-old Katelyn Nicole Davis from Cedartown, Georgia, hanged herself in her garden. The tormented young girl live streamed the heart-breaking event. After the footage went viral, police were powerless to take it down.


The Live Streamed Death of Katelyn Nicole Davis

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On the 30th of December, 2016, 12-year-old Katelyn Nicole Davis from Cedartown, Georgia, hanged herself in her garden. The tormented young girl live streamed the heart-breaking event. After the footage went viral, police were powerless to take it down.

In the first half of the 42-minute video, Katelyn reveals to her viewers that she had been sexually abused by a family member. She can be seen in her front yard, tying a rope around a tree branch. The sadness on her face is evident as she states: “I’m sorry that I’m not pretty enough. I’m sorry for everything, I’m really, truly sorry. But I can’t do this.” Katelyn then ties the rope around her neck, says goodbye to her friends and family and then kicks a bucket out from underneath her feet.

The footage doesn’t end when her life ends, however. It continues for another 20 minutes and at the end, a woman shouts her name off camera. By the time police finally arrived, it was much too late. Katelyn was pronounced dead at Polk Medical Center’s emergency unit.

Before Katelyn had even been buried, the video depicting her suicide had been shared all across the internet. There were calls from the public for the video to be removed but Polk County Police Chief Kenny Dodd would state: “We want it down as much as anyone for the family and it ay be for other kids.” He said that they had contacted various websites that had uploaded the video and requested they remove it but when informed that they didn’t need to remove the video by law, they simply denied the request. “But it’s just the common decent thing to do in my opinion,” he said.1

Charities would also call for the video to be removed. A spokesperson for the NSPCC said: “These videos must be taken down immediately and we are pressing social media sites to get this soon as soon as possible. In this instance, warnings of graphic content do not go far enough.” There was a collective fear that impressionable and depressed children and teenagers could stumble across the video which would be very triggering.2

Just days before ending her life, Katelyn detailed the abuse she had suffered on her YouTube where she went by the name “ITZ DOLLY!!!” She told her viewers that she had been beaten with a studded belt and that she had been sexually abused. In one video, she reports that she was neglected by her father and was physically and sexually abused by her stepfather.

In one video, Katelyn gets into an argument with her mother, who just shrugs everything she says off. Her mother would verbally abuse her daughter on camera and threaten to “whip her ass.” In another video, Katelyn mentioned that her stepfather even encouraged her to commit suicide: “He told me I should go hang myself because I was worthless.” She often spoke about being bullied at school and was a victim of catfishing. 

To say that Katelyn lived a hard life is an understatement. Investigators would state that they were going to be investigating Katelyn’s claims of abuse. Nothing ever came of the investigation, however.

Katelyn did, however, post other videos. She was an active YouTuber and would offer an insight into her life. She sometimes sang on the camera and cracked jokes. She appeared to be the main carer for her siblings; in one video she warns them not to “wake up” their mother. In some videos, she tries to reach out to other kids with depression who may have been feeling like she felt. In a way, it seemed as though she was looking for somebody to relate to, somebody that could understand how she felt. She posted videos urging people not to make fun of others and showed that she had a deep compassion for others.

Her videos show that she had cried out for help but nobody listened. They show a compassionate and intelligent young girl that would have excelled in life if just given the chance.

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Footnotes:

  1. Agence France-Presse, 12 January, 2017 – “Live Video of 12-Year-Old US Girl’s Suicide Goes Viral”
  2. The Independent, 12 January, 2017 – “Girl Kills Herself in Live Online Video and Police Cannot Stop Footage Being Viewed”

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Elizabeth Grieshaber
Elizabeth Grieshaber
2 years ago

I’m so sorry for the pain or frustration you’re trying to express.

Savannah
Savannah
2 years ago

That’s just sick 😒

Dee
Dee
2 years ago

You’re an awful human being!!

Alicia Strong
Alicia Strong
2 years ago

Thats not true though? She didnt die up there. She was taken down and died in hospital an hour later. You only release excrement and urine once youre dead. This was a really weird thing for you to think of, Ive prowled all along the 13 minute mark and I have no sweet clue wtf youre even talking about. This was just a really lame attempt at trolling, and its really really sick for you to be trying to troll the suicide of a really really awesome 12 year old. i work on investigating her suicide and I work on… Read more »

M. Combs
M. Combs
1 year ago
Reply to  Alicia Strong

She was pronounced dead at the hospital. She died there. It was the same with my big brother that hung himself. They didn’t pronounce him until the hospital. But he was long gone at the tree.

Lofi Kidd
Lofi Kidd
8 months ago
Reply to  M. Combs

Im sorry for your loss brother

Rod
Rod
2 months ago
Reply to  Alicia Strong

Great comment, Alicia.

Alicia Strong
Alicia Strong
2 years ago

Please be kinder than that in the presence of a 12 year olds suicide. Telling him to kill himself just perpetuates more hate and stigma. Just stop please. Just dont feed the troll.

Denise Lanza
Denise Lanza
2 years ago

I listened to the whole thing. I tried so hard to stop her by commenting. I cried so hard. This was the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. I think about it often….

Chris
Chris
1 year ago
Reply to  Denise Lanza

How can u watch the video

Augh
Augh
5 months ago
Reply to  Chris

What the fuck is with yall sick motherfuckers and wanting to see a poor depressed 12 year old girl commit suicide like get a life.

Amber
Amber
15 hours ago
Reply to  Augh

What might seem like it is sick to you 😞 can actually help others…

M. Combs
M. Combs
1 year ago
Reply to  Denise Lanza

I’m sorry you experienced this. My big brother hung himself. His best friend was on the phone & heard everything.

Augh
Augh
5 months ago
Reply to  M. Combs

Sorry for your loss.

Floyd county Resident
Floyd county Resident
1 year ago

yall are sick individuals THIS IS SOMEONES family PIGS

msdos
msdos
1 year ago

Pigs are smart and kind sentient beings…

Augh
Augh
5 months ago
Reply to  msdos

Fucking go to hell he isnt joking

Rick
Rick
1 year ago

I can’t stand how her family focused on trying to get the video deleted. They or effectively trying to posthumously shut the little girl up despite her trying to get her message out to the world. They had no business erasing her blog and her videos from existence. Those videos and blogs and her suicide are all evidence that she was speaking the truth of her stepfather being a rapist.

Beverly
Beverly
5 months ago
Reply to  Rick

You just don’t know what hell Katie was put through I lived about 15 minutes from her, and know her family very well, Katie didn’t do this alone we tried to get her family arrested but nothing would be done

Ice Poseidon
Ice Poseidon
1 year ago

Clearly her family doesn’t care about her

Amanda Collins
Amanda Collins
1 year ago
Reply to  Ice Poseidon

They really didn’t care, all she needed was to be made feel tht she mattered an she was loved, thts it, her sorry mother couldn’t put the dope down long enough

Beverly
Beverly
5 months ago
Reply to  Amanda Collins

Your right and still to this day hasn’t and gave AJ and Addie to there Dad knowing what he done to them also

Day
Day
1 year ago

This is the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever watched.

Moments into it, it appears just was struggling to break the rope which means she changed her mind but it was too late.

Very sad and I wish didn’t watch it.

Rick
Rick
1 year ago
Reply to  Day

I’ve rewatched the video and looked closely into the darkness of the footage. Her hands never go any higher than just above her stomach after she kicks the bucket away.

star
star
1 year ago
Reply to  Rick

Can you send me the link ?

Augh
Augh
5 months ago
Reply to  star

no you sick fuck

Andre Day
Andre Day
3 months ago
Reply to  Rick

It’s not something I want to watch ever again but her instant facial expression and motion indicated she wanted to break the rope.

Once your full weight is it and and the rope is binding your neck, it’s no longer a choice.

Augh
Augh
3 months ago
Reply to  Andre Day

yeah i saw this as it was happening and it scared me, i happened to come across the live as it was going on but i joined AFTER she actually hung herself and it was depressing watching it.

Jay
Jay
1 year ago

Dumbass

Last edited 1 year ago by Jay
Jessica Rositas
Jessica Rositas
1 year ago

Hello I’m sorry but I didn’t see the video

Augh
Augh
5 months ago

congratulations

Richell
Richell
1 year ago

Reading this hurts. After my father was murdered in 1975 my Aunt’s only 2 son’s and my father’s nephews hung themselves 5 yrs apart on my father’s death. My Aunt found each one hanging from the rafters in their garage. The youngest was 16 and the older one was 20. It’s hard and extremely difficult when you go through it. I can relate to her pain being an abused child from 10 to 15 by my mothers longtime boyfriend. My life was not easy but I got help with the pain and suicidal attempts. Now 61 yrs old and am… Read more »

Joanne Demeri
Joanne Demeri
1 year ago
Reply to  Richell

I am sorry for all of your loss and what you went through with your moms boyfriend. I remember when this suicide happened, my daughter saw it on fb, I did not. It is an incredibly sad story. I wish I could watch the video to see the young girls demeanor and hear her story. I’m very good at reading people. I feel for her, this is so sad. God Bless you

Vernell Duxworth
Vernell Duxworth
1 year ago

Rip Katie we love u💙💯

sylvia
sylvia
1 year ago

Look on her FB accounts someone update in september 2022 her profile, who is that sick person?

sylvia
sylvia
1 year ago

Ik heb deze livestream pas gister gezien, ja zoiets moet niet op internet rond zweven maar ze heeft zich wel vereeuwigd, onbegrijpelijk dat niemand heeft ingegrepen, mag ik wel even vermelden erbij dat ik ook animal abuse in alle vormen ook graag verwijderd zie en een ban hebben op internet.

Augh
Augh
3 months ago
Reply to  sylvia

ok i guess

sylvia
sylvia
1 year ago

How can somebody update her profile on FB now 2022 and she is dead? A littlebit sick person right!

Augh
Augh
5 months ago
Reply to  sylvia

ustg are you trying to say she was faking or smt? if you are then you are delusional as fuck.

Mandy Lou
Mandy Lou
5 months ago
Reply to  Augh

It doesnt seem they think she was faking. More like they are saying its messed up for someone to go onto her acct and update it. Thats how I read it. 🤷‍♀️

Augh
Augh
3 months ago
Reply to  Mandy Lou

ok but like i fr replied to myself istg i forgot that was me but anyways alr

Augh
Augh
3 months ago
Reply to  Augh

no i think he or she whatever the fuck it is, is trying to say that someone other than her updated the page and that its a bit sick.

Rick
Rick
1 year ago

It angers me that the primary focus after her death was trying to get her video deleted off the internet as well as her blogs and other videos.

That to me is the grown ups trying to posthumously shut the poor girl up. Posthumously trying to cut her tongue off. And when you try to cut someone’s tongue out, you’re not proving to everyone that she’s lying. You are instead proving to everyone that you’re afraid of what she is trying to say.

Augh
Augh
5 months ago
Reply to  Rick

I mean, she did hang herself on live. And i know you have to probably do some deep digging on yt to find that stuff, But still the video is extremely triggering to people who cant handle that stuff.

NaturesDarling
NaturesDarling
1 year ago

Where can we find the video ?

Augh
Augh
3 months ago
Reply to  NaturesDarling

up your ass, get a life and stop trying to find a video of a 12 year old girl hanging herself.

Jessiekay32
Jessiekay32
1 year ago

I saw this live. Me and my friend where going to community college at the time and we were sitting on our commons waiting for our next class! I was scrolling and came across it. I was like wtf is going on. To me 100 percent honest this is right when live was becoming a thing. I thought someone was trying to make a movie! We watched for alittle then had practice then After coming home from practice I see that the live is still going. I was like wtf! I click on it and all you can hear is… Read more »

Gibbiue
Gibbiue
11 months ago

I feel really bad that she felt the need to do that no one should have to go through things like that its really sad and she shouldnt have to take her life to prove to others and her family that she was hurt and has went through way to much

Johnsmith
Johnsmith
1 month ago
Reply to  Gibbiue

I’m glad she killed her self so I could have 5 second of scrolling entertainment

Amber
Amber
15 hours ago
Reply to  Johnsmith

YOU MUST BE A HOMICIDAL FREAK

Kriss
Kriss
8 months ago

That’s disgusting of you.

stephen
stephen
8 months ago

I as of now have a daughter exactly her age and if anyone laid a finger on her, the things I’d do to them would be worse than hell could ever do. no one and I mean NO one will ever harm my daughter in any way. I love you so much veronica you’re the only thing I could ever need in my life.

Augh
Augh
3 months ago
Reply to  stephen

if someone laid a finger on my daughter i would personally slit their throat while pumping adrenaline into them so they suffer while i slit their wrists, knees, throat, stomach, and attack them with a box cutter.

Stra8upBitch
Stra8upBitch
7 months ago

Heavenly Father,
Please help this sick individual who can not seem to speak with any respect for himself or others. Dude if you want to talk that sickness go to the correct outlets for that like there maybe websites out there named sickf**ks.com you can check and see. Until then, leave your poop fetish in your head, not on your screen. My goodness what would your parents say about what you said?
🙁

jamesisdone
jamesisdone
7 months ago
Reply to  Stra8upBitch

heavenly father wasn’t there for katelyn or for the millions of other kids who took their lives, heavenly father puts people like billy bob on this planet, heavenly father is scum who lets this evil happen. stop praying to heavenly father and instead focus on reality and all the kids who take their lives because heavenly father can’t do anything but we as people can do something, we can spread awareness of these situations, we can help kids who feel suicidal before they take their one life that they’ll ever have, we can make them feel like they matter and… Read more »

billy bob
billy bob
2 months ago
Reply to  Stra8upBitch

haha you got downvoted so much sta8upbitch

Angela
Angela
7 months ago

You should come meet me and tell me to jump off a bridge
Too bad ur mom didn’t throw you off a bridge

Augh
Augh
3 months ago
Reply to  Angela

uno reverse sorry asshole

Sir Christopher carter
Sir Christopher carter
5 months ago

She from where I stay I remember watching the video at the time, it’s very sad 😞 n heartbreaking 💔

james stewart
james stewart
3 months ago

I can’t hear chop suey by soad or viva la vida by coldplay without thinking about katelyn and nearly crying every time.

Rod
Rod
2 months ago

I have always thought that the emphasis should not have been on trying to get her final video removed, but to go after the abuser who caused this suicide in the first place.

unknown
unknown
2 months ago

this is so sad i thought about suicide aswell i stabbed myself not to long ago but then remembered that god is here to help me and to help me get better and there is people that love me

Unknown 2
Unknown 2
1 month ago
Reply to  unknown

If that is what gives you the strength to keep going, Then that is all that matters.

dubwartufraiis
dubwartufraiis
21 days ago

if vore was scientifically possible Katelyn could have defended herself from her stepfather by eating him whole and then she’d still be here and never would have went through what she did and her stepfather would get the fate he deserved. From a logic point of view it would help kids protect themselves because all they have to do is eat their abusers and that’s that.

XeTakami
XeTakami
15 days ago
Reply to  dubwartufraiis

youre disgusting, don’t put a gross fetish on a 12 year old girl who k1lled herself.

dubwartufraiis
dubwartufraiis
4 days ago
Reply to  XeTakami

I’m so so so so so so so so so sorry I didn’t mean to make it out as a fetish, I just wanted to point out if we lived in a world where that could happen kids would have a means to protect themselves and be a lot safer that’s all.

Amber
Amber
15 hours ago
Reply to  XeTakami

Fuckin creepy 😧

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