MILLIE TUOMEY was just 11 years of age when she took her own life in January 2015.
The young girl had a stash of medication and reportedly told friends online of her plans to take her own life, as she was desperately unhappy with the way she looked and had a death wish for some time before her actions.
Tuomey had been watching a film with her sister Daisy, her parents and her grandfather when she suddenly left the room to retire to her bedroom, and was found by Daisy later on.
The 11-year-old tragically died 4 days later in hospital.
On Friday night, Millie's parents Fiona and Tim Tuomey appeared on the Late Late Show to talk about the issue of mental health and the Government's failure to recognise young children's need for better services.
The parents also said future parents need a better education in mental health in order to safeguard children from suicidal idealation: "We weren’t empowered to have the conversation that we know you should have.
“We weren’t empowered to have the conversation that we know you should have” – Fiona Tuomey, mum of 11-year-old Milly who took her own life, on how important it is to have a safeTalk with anyone suffering with suicidal ideation #latelate pic.twitter.com/im0FWr5EfG
— RTE One (@RTEOne) December 15, 2017
They also said depression is a complex topic: "The main reason we wanted to come on and talk to people was to really get across the message that you don’t know. People think of depression as a big glaring sign across somebody’s forehead... That is not necessarily the case.
I mean there were highs and there were lows. She could be withdrawn or irritable."
She added: "We’re coming from the position that unless someone already has a diagnosed mental illness, you don’t know."
“The main reason we wanted to come on and talk to people was to really get across the message that you don’t know. People think of depression as a big glaring sign across somebody’s forehead... That is not necessarily the case” – Fiona Tuomey #latelate pic.twitter.com/uEvIgQesKg
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) December 15, 2017
