CHILD ABUSE: THE STORY OF KATELYN DAVIS

 CHILD ABUSE: THE STORY OF KATELYN DAVIS

A few days ago I happened to watch the gameplay of "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" and, being a lover of video games, I wanted to deepen the legend of Ben Drowned linked to the Nintendo 64 cartridge. This is, of course, yet another creepypasta to create an aura of mystery around a video game. The name Ben Drowned, however, brought to the surface research that linked to that of Katelyn Davis, a twelve-year-old girl from Georgia who, on December 30th 2016, took her own life live on Live.me. hanging herself from a tree in the backyard. Katelyn, very active on various social platforms, openly shared her pain and depression at first strictly related to the family context and, later, to the loss of the person she had fallen in love with online and who had presented himself to her as being the real Ben Drowned. 

Katelyn was born and raised in a poor family where she was subjected to sexual harassment by her stepfather, and emotionally abandoned by her drug addict mother, who was not very present and authoritarian. In her diary she tells of the deplorable conditions of her bedroom composed of a damp mattress due to the continuous leaks of the bathroom pipes, which inevitably caused flooding, and from the dilapidated floor and walls crossed by the cold and by animals from the surrounding garden. Among the few videos left on the net, I wanted to watch a live stream of Katelyn during which she chatted with some users. Despite her young age, she had very clear morals and ideas about respect for her body and her romantic relationship. At the request of some users to undress for them live, Katelyn responds by wearing a sweatshirt of at least one size larger to cover her shapes, and invites the guys, many of them over twenty, to leave the chat and go in search of what they want elsewhere. To the provocations of a boy almost the same age as her, doubtful about his feelings towards his girlfriend, Katelyn replies that it is not correct to resort to betrayal and to make the people we love suffer and that, in case of loss of interest, it would be right to speak honestly and break up. Katelyn has a relationship with Luke at the time, a boy at least seven years older who is very jealous and psychologically abusive. 

The teenager subsequently falls victim to an online trap by Ben, or at least that was the name used by the predator, which drags her into a platonic relationship where the girl feels loved, encouraged and protected by her fragility. Things take a dramatic turn when Ben disappears after several months of online conversations, and following some pressure from Katelyn to meet him in person. It will be the same Katelyn who, in the oblivion of desperation and helped by some friends, will search for Ben after receiving some information from another online user who calls herself by the name of Alexas. Her "diary of a broken doll" will become more and more gloomy and more and more dramatic. She refers to her suicide attempts by taking pills and slashing her wrists, legs, shoulders and elbows. I was shocked that no one was able to save this poor little girl from her demons, and that no one ever contacted the authorities to report the abuses to which Katelyn was subjected on a daily basis. 

There are many videos removed from the web, but one dating back to the day of her death is still on YouTube, the one where she shows the tree from which she would have hanged herself in a few hours. I have not been able to view the moment of her passing, but there is still an audio track of her interminable apology just before making the tragic gesture. Her words read "I’m sorry that I am not pretty enough. I’m sorry I came into your life just to get out of it this quickly. I’m sorry for everything, I’m really and truly sorry for everything, but I can’t do this. I’m sorry. I’m sorry Luke I wasn’t the best for you, I’m so sorry I just wasn’t good enough. I’m sorry Ben. I’m sorry LIzzy that I hurt, I’m sorry that I wasn’t strong enough. I’m sorry everyone. I’m sorry I let this depression get to me. I am sorry everyone, I’m really sorry. I really don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve to live. I’m sorry God, I’m sorry. I know I’m making an act of selfishness, I’m so sorry everyone. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to all you guys who really like me, want me, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I seem like a whore, that I’m nothing but worthless. I’m so sorry, I’m really sorry… Why am I crying? I’m sorry, I’m sorry you have to see me suicide. Goodbye". 

My sweet Katelyn, you don't have to apologize for anything. It is the world that owes you an apology for denying you the joy you deserve and for failing to protect you from life's painful challenges. We are the ones who apologize to you, we are the ones who have to bear the blame that you, a poor innocent girl, have taken on for twelve years of your short life. Rest in peace little Kately and, with tears in my eyes, I say goodbye to you sweet angel.