February 15, 2026 | 10:06 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Juvenile suicide is not a new phenomenon, but it is often ignored, said Dyah Puspitarini, the commissioner of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI).
"Even though the patterns in children's suicide are discernable," she said on Friday, February 13, 2026.
Juvenile suicide has once again become public concern, following the case in East Nusa Tenggara where a fourth-grade student was found dead by hanging on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
In the past three years, KPAI has been collecting data on suicide among children, and the results are worrying. Throughout 2023, KPAI recorded 46 suicide cases among children aged 10 to 17.
In 2024, KPAI recorded 43 incidents of children's suicide with an age range of 13 to 17, and in the following year, there were 27 suicides among children aged 11 to 18.
In total, from 2023-2025, the children protection commission recorded a total of 116 juvenile suicides.
These suicide cases are not concentrated in specific cities or regencies, but are spread across several regions. Starting from Denpasar, Yogyakarta, Toraja, Banyuwangi, Kebumen, Makassar, Bogor, Blitar, Cirebon, Sukabumi, Pekalongan, Kolhua, Bandung, and Aceh.
Among the reasons for children to commit suicide are bullying, breaking up with a lover, not being allowed to go fishing, having their phone confiscated by their parents, depression, economic problems, being ridiculed for not having a father, and parenting issues.
"In 2026 alone, there are already 4 children who committed suicide," said Dyah.
According to Dyah, this phenomenon can be triggered by various reasons. Children may take inspiration from online games or suicide websites, among others. In order to cut the number of juvenile suicides, Dyah calls for positive parenting by families, improving children's mental health at home and school and within society.
Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please reach out to the nearest health institution and/or relevant authorities. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers an exhaustive list of global helplines to assist you in times of crisis at https://www.iasp.info/crisis-centres-helplines/.
If you’re in Indonesia, you can call Pulih Foundation at (021) 78842580, the Health Ministry's Mental Health hotline at (021) 500454, and the Jangan Bunuh Diri NGO hotline at (021) 9696 9293 for mental crisis assistance and/or suicide prevention measures. Into the Light Indonesia also has information about mental health and suicide prevention, as well as who to contact at https://www.intothelightid.org/tentang-bunuh-diri/hotline-dan-konseling/
Read: Palace Says Concerned with Suicide of Young Student in East Nusa Tenggara
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