A 16-year-old girl committed suicide by hanging herself with a rope on a tree in a bush in Tit-hok Village, Aluakluak Payam of Yirol West County, official reported.
Executive Chief Ngong Mabor said the incident occurred at around 7pm on Tuesday.
Lakes State Police Spokesperson Maj Elijah Mabor Makuac told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that a close relative had been apprehended for investigation over the teenager’s death.
He said the girl reportedly committed suicide after she had a quarrel with her parents at home.
Makuac said the body was retrieved and buried in Aluakluak Payam, adding that investigations into the cause of the incident were ongoing.
Rumbek State Hospital Medical Director Dr Terran Madit Terran said there was a surge in suicide cases in Lakes State. He said teenagers were the most affected, with the majority being females.
The medic singled out forced marriage as a leading cause of the suicides, yet it was deeply ingrained in the local culture.
He said girls, especially those who wanted to continue with their education, opted to take their lives rather than be married off against their will.
“Another cause could be drug addiction, so it becomes a concern of the Ministry of Gender and the youth associations to create awareness and health education to engage the youngsters in more activities,” he said.
Lakes State Cooperative and Rural Development Minister Isaac Luka Manga, who represents Wulu County, said he wanted to take the opportunity to share the concern of the entire region and beyond.
“We the Beli community are calling on the government to raise the alarm. We are calling upon the international NGOs and the UN family as well as the CBOs to take action to tame the suicide cases,” he said.