A BASILDON dad has been left “in pieces” after his daughter died in a “self-harm incident gone wrong” - claiming it was due to content she viewed on TikTok.

Liam Walsh was dad to “happy” and “kind” Maia Walsh who tragically died just aged 13.
She was found dead in her mum’s home on October 6, 2022.

Mr Walsh believes Maia “accidentally took her own life because of content that she viewed on TikTok”.

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A spokesman for TikTok expressed their sympathies but insisted the platform “does not allow content that promotes or glorifies suicide or self-harm on our platform”.

Mr Walsh told the Echo: “My life lies in a thousand sorry pieces on the floor.

“Maia was my life, and now she is dead, my life lies in ruins.

“This fight is all I have left, Maia was my only child, she had an immensely bright future in front of her.

“Becoming her father was the most privileged thing that ever happened to me.

“I am heartbroken”.

Liam says he and Maia’s mum were unable to have any access to any of her electronic devices after her death.

According to Mr Walsh, Maia’s mum eventually got access and found “two videos that Maia had liked that both discussed and portrayed suicide and self-harm”.

He is now fighting to work out what happened with Maia in the lead up to her death to help give him “closure”.

Mr Walsh added: “Maia lived her life with grace and incredible ease, until she downloaded TikTok.”

The dad says he has also been in contact with Archie Battersbee’s mum, Hollie Dance. 

Archie Battersbee was a 12-year-old from Southend who was found unconscious by his mum on April 7, 2022.

His mum believed he was taking part in an online blackout challenge on TikTok. 

Following an inquest a coroner went on to rule that Archie died accidentally as a result of a “prank or experiment” which went wrong.

In response to Maia’s death, a spokesman for TikTok said: “Our deepest sympathies are with the family experiencing this tragic loss. The safety of our community is our priority and we do not allow content that promotes or glorifies suicide or self-harm on our platform.

“We will continue to prioritise protecting and supporting our community, working with expert partners and providing safety resources to those who need them.”