Information furnished by Los Angeles Unified School District
YOUTH SUICIDE:
What a parent needs to know:
Now approaching epidemic proportions, suicide is currently the third leading
cause of death among teenagers in the United States. It is estimated that
300 to 400 teen suicides occur per year in Los Angeles County; this is equivalent
to one teenager lost every day. Evidence indicates that for every suicide,
they are 50 to 100 attempts at suicide. Due to the stigma associated with
suicide, available statistics may well underestimate the problem. Nevertheless,
these figures do underscore the urgent need to seek a solution to the suicide
epidemic among our young people.