The Live Streamed Death of Katelyn Nicole Davis

An article by:
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

Morbidology Podcast

The article continues below

Morbidology is a weekly true crime podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson. Using investigative research combined with primary audio, Morbidology takes an in-depth look at true crime cases from all across the world.


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.

4.5 29 votes
Article Rating

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”

Comments:

Subscribe
Notify me of
guest

104 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Elizabeth Grieshaber
Elizabeth Grieshaber
3 years ago

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

Savannah
Savannah
3 years ago

That’s just sick 😒

Dee
Dee
3 years ago

You’re an awful human being!!

Michelle Richards
Michelle Richards
1 month ago
Reply to  Dee

No you are. It’s bullies like you that push people like her to feel like the only way to escape is by what she did. RIP Katelyn, the world has lost another beautiful soul.

Alicia Strong
Alicia Strong
3 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
2 years 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
1 year ago
Reply to  M. Combs

Im sorry for your loss brother

Rod
Rod
11 months ago
Reply to  Alicia Strong

Great comment, Alicia.

Fruya Sefdown
Fruya Sefdown
7 months ago
Reply to  Alicia Strong

She definitely/100% died on the rope. No one swings for half a hour and doesn’t die. They pronounce death that the hospital because procedure. I don’t understand trying to spin it like she survived to the hospital. She didn’t. She wanted to die there, and did. Sad af but don’t lie about something that another person might think they’d survive it, a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

Anon
Anon
5 months ago
Reply to  Alicia Strong

Wrong. She died up there. I saw the video while it was still posted. She hung around lifeless for a good 15-20 or so minutes. She was literally hanging by her neck…not moving….not supported by anything. The poor girl was dead as her phone rang and her mother called from off in the distance.

Joel
Joel
3 days ago
Reply to  Alicia Strong

Actually the video shows her hanging for 25 mins or so. Not one could survive that.

Alicia Strong
Alicia Strong
3 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
2 years ago
Reply to  Denise Lanza

How can u watch the video

Augh
Augh
1 year 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
8 months ago
Reply to  Augh

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

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
7 months ago
Reply to  Amber

no babez you just want to see the video 😐
anyways, moving on.

Jonie
Jonie
1 month ago
Reply to  Augh

Euhm… I am suicidal and her video has helped me a lot. It comforts me that she was able to take agency over her own life and able to stop the pain for herself. Its tragic, yes, but trauma and suicidality are tragic af and im 100% sure that her video truly helped more people then just me. Your judgemental responce doesnt help, however.

M. Combs
M. Combs
2 years 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
1 year ago
Reply to  M. Combs

Sorry for your loss.

Floyd county Resident
Floyd county Resident
2 years ago

yall are sick individuals THIS IS SOMEONES family PIGS

msdos
msdos
2 years ago

Pigs are smart and kind sentient beings…

Augh
Augh
1 year ago
Reply to  msdos

Fucking go to hell he isnt joking

Tambini
Tambini
4 months ago
Reply to  Augh

WTF is wrong with you… msdos wasn’t joking. Pigs ARE smart and kind sentient beings. Conjure up something hideous that doesn’t have a heartbeat. You know, something like a bucket of steaming diarrhea. FAR more unpleasant that an innocent pig.

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
1 year 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

Amber
Amber
7 months ago
Reply to  Beverly

I agree 💯 percent with you Beverly… There is no way that Katie did it alone and that was the reason why she has been leaving all sorts of clues to her death 💀☠️💀 and the involvement of others who were instructing this innocent child 🚸

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
7 months ago
Reply to  Beverly

yeah, her father hasnt even been arrested since and its sick.

simonB
simonB
2 months ago
Reply to  Kiyana T

That’s utterly diabolical, considering his abuse of her sparked a lot of her depression and led to her eventual decision and demise. So incredibly/critically appalling her mother and (step)father were not held to account on some level considering the amount of evidence left by her in her journal/diary on line. Incredibly sad. God bless

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
1 year 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

Shannon Phillips
Shannon Phillips
5 months ago
Reply to  Beverly

Aj and Abby

Day
Day
2 years 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
1 year ago
Reply to  star

no you sick fuck

Andre Day
Andre Day
1 year 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
11 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
2 years ago

Dumbass

Last edited 2 years ago by Jay
Jessica Rositas
Jessica Rositas
2 years ago

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

Augh
Augh
1 year ago

congratulations

Richell
Richell
2 years 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
2 years 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
2 years ago

Rip Katie we love u💙💯

sylvia
sylvia
2 years ago

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

Amber
Amber
7 months ago
Reply to  sylvia

I know…I am looking into this as of yesterday I found some things that are not making any sense seem to be pieces 🧩 of the puzzle 🧩 of her story and it is not 🚫 solved by anyone yet 😭 not even the police 🚨 and it is now 2024…

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
1 month ago
Reply to  Amber

What 😐❓ Is with 🤔 the 😮 Emojis 🤩

bing
bing
2 months ago
Reply to  sylvia

Those would be fake accounts, the original is probably still there with just a few family members on the friend list, at least as far as I remember and it most likely wont be updated as maybe not sure but no one probably has access to it.

sylvia
sylvia
2 years 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
11 months ago
Reply to  sylvia

ok i guess

Tambini
Tambini
4 months ago
Reply to  sylvia

YES. Remove depictions and prosecute ALL instances of animal abuse to the fullest extent of the law.

sylvia
sylvia
2 years ago

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

Augh
Augh
1 year 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
1 year 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
11 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
11 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.

Aud
Aud
3 months ago
Reply to  Augh

Dude ur literally replying to all the comments what is ur obsession with a 12 year old get a life all I see is u commenting

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
1 month ago
Reply to  Aud

Honestly smfh

Amber
Amber
7 months ago
Reply to  Augh

No I don’t think 🤔 she was faking anything at all… But I do believe that she did not do this alone and I know that her mother is still to THIS DAY IS COVERING THINGS UP ABOUT HER SUICIDE AND WHY SHE DID IT AND I THINK 🤔💬 BECAUSE OF THE SEXUAL ABUSE THAT HER STEPFATHER IS GUILTY OF… CHILDREN DON’T JUST MAKE THIS KIND OF THING UP… AND THINGS ARE STILL POPPING UP FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE 😔 I LOVE 💞 KATE LIKE SHE IS MY OWN AND I WISH I KNEW THAT SHE WAS GOING TO… Read more »

Amber
Amber
7 months ago
Reply to  sylvia

It’s still happening

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
1 year 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.

Amber
Amber
7 months ago
Reply to  Rick

Amen brother you are on the right 💯 track with that one.. right on the money.. My thoughts exactly 💯 and pieces 🧩🧩🧩 of the puzzle are still popping up all over the place …

NaturesDarling
NaturesDarling
1 year ago

Where can we find the video ?

Augh
Augh
11 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 »

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
7 months ago
Reply to  Jessiekay32

same, but i saw it when i was 12, me and my sister had stumbled across the live stream on live.me and it was like right as she was getting ready to kick the bucket over that she was standing on, it took until we heard her mom off screen to realize it was real.

Last edited 7 months ago by Kiyana T
Gibbiue
Gibbiue
1 year 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

Amber
Amber
8 months ago
Reply to  Gibbiue

YOU MUST BE A HOMICIDAL FREAK

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
7 months ago
Reply to  Gibbiue

you are disgusting and i personally hope you fucking die the most painful death posible, who the fuck finds entertainment out of watching a 12 year old hang herself after having a mental breakdown.

Kriss
Kriss
1 year ago

That’s disgusting of you.

stephen
stephen
1 year 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
11 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.

Amber
Amber
7 months ago
Reply to  Augh

Achilles tendon too

Aud
Aud
3 months ago
Reply to  Augh

Dude what the hell is wrong with you

Stra8upBitch
Stra8upBitch
1 year 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
1 year 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
10 months ago
Reply to  Stra8upBitch

haha you got downvoted so much sta8upbitch

Tambini
Tambini
4 months ago
Reply to  billy bob

Pot, meet kettle.

Angela
Angela
1 year 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
11 months ago
Reply to  Angela

uno reverse sorry asshole

Sir Christopher carter
Sir Christopher carter
1 year ago

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

james stewart
james stewart
11 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
11 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
10 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
10 months ago
Reply to  unknown

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

Amber
Amber
7 months ago
Reply to  unknown

Yes you are loved… We are all loved 💟 by God and we are supposed to be there for each other in the world 🌎 God made us to love one another and not 🚫 hate.. but the devil and his dark souls demons are waiting for weak people and people who are afraid… And it is spiritual warfare in the world but we who believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and I believe that he has died for my sins and the sins of the world and if you are really a believer he is our… Read more »

dubwartufraiis
dubwartufraiis
8 months 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
8 months ago
Reply to  dubwartufraiis

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

dubwartufraiis
dubwartufraiis
8 months 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.

Bexx
Bexx
7 months ago
Reply to  dubwartufraiis

You need help.

dubwartufraiis
dubwartufraiis
7 months ago
Reply to  Bexx

Its a very cruel thing to say that to someone who not only said sorry but said it 9 times. why don’t those sorry’s mean a thing to you 🙁

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
7 months ago
Reply to  dubwartufraiis

you are actually fucking disgusting, get some help…

Amber
Amber
8 months ago
Reply to  XeTakami

Fuckin creepy 😧

Pammi
Pammi
7 months ago

💐🧸🕯

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
7 months ago

Its fucking sick that her step father has not yet been arrested. the man is on tiktok literally giving hints to her suicide and acting like hes proud of himself.

Last edited 7 months ago by Kiyana T
Paul
Paul
5 months ago

i found out about her about a couple of weeks after she died and it absolutely wrecked me, i’ve seen some things in my years but she was something different, absolutely destroyed me, it’s changed me forever, i watched her videos on YouTube, a lot of them are still on there, also tribute videos are on there about her, and if you google “ITZ DOLLY, Diary of a Broken Doll” you will see her daily diary that she wrote, i think about her all the time, it’s one of the saddest things i ever saw, i saw her as my… Read more »

AKDAS
AKDAS
2 months ago

What a horrible experience for a child to go through and what HORRIBLE parents

bing
bing
2 months ago

I saw the video a few days after hearing about Katelyn’s passing. I still remember her to this day with sadness but she seemed to have a lot of mental issues going on stemming from a lot of things in her life, what imo drove her over the edge (again) was the break up she had with a young man in an online relationship that she thought was in love with her, when that went south I think she just lost it and finally decided to carry out her plans to do what she did. I still think up to… Read more »

Last edited 2 months ago by bing
stillhere
stillhere
2 months ago

Reading through the comment section I noticed a bit of a disagreement as to if she died or not while hanging from the tree that day. I will say yes she did. As soon as she jumped within seconds she would begin to go unconscious and her body would start an involuntary jerking as you saw in the vid. Years ago I was suffering from major depression and contemplated suicide for years.Many times I tested hanging using a stiff electrical wire that wouldn’t stay locked when tightened because it was so stiff, withing about 7 seconds of pulling on it… Read more »

Kiyana T
Kiyana T
1 month ago

ok but like ew somebody keeps stalking my DMs on discord pretending to be this girl

Jonie
Jonie
1 month ago

Her all-hope-in-life-killer stephdad (and the mom) have a public fb!!! Like they have nothing to hide or be ashamed off!! He even has a wall-pic with the other 2 kids (who he is probs abusing now too..?! 💔)… He is so much not-hiding that he even left the comments open! So far there are only people complimenting him on ‘his beautiful family’ 💔😢💔💔💔 The pages are: Anthony Lee Rogers and Tammy Michelle Rogers, they seem to still be married, too! Even though the mom was hiding behind Roger’s abuse around the time of Katelyn’s death, because ‘she was a victim,… Read more »

Nicko
Nicko
1 month ago
Reply to  Jonie

She’s been dead for years now just let her rest and stop stalking her parents.

You may also like:

104
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x