Princess-Bliss Dickson, a 16-year-old fashion influencer known for her role on the reality show 'Blinging Up Baby', was found dead in supported accommodation in Waltham Abbey in February. An inquest has heard she died from an overdose of a prescription-only drug used to treat depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The teen had been subjected to relentless online bullying, which initially targeted her mother, Sophie-May Dickson, before shifting to Princess-Bliss.
Sophie-May described the physical agony of grief as feeling like her ribs were 'crushing her organs' as she leaned over her daughter's coffin. However, even at the funeral, she faced further abuse from online trolls who accused her of using the occasion for 'clout' after she shared a photograph of her 'hardest goodbye'.
The bullying took place on forums such as Tattle Life, which has been described as a 'troll's paradise'. Over 10,000 abusive posts were made about Sophie-May and her family. When she deleted some social media accounts, the trolls turned their attention to Princess-Bliss. Users created fake accounts to monitor her TikTok posts and mock her relentlessly.
Dr Jessica Taylor, a chartered psychologist, noted that research shows the majority of such trolls are women, many of them professionals such as teachers, nurses and solicitors. She said: 'People who stalk and bully children do not live in dark corners of the internet. They live among us.'
At the inquest in Chelmsford, senior coroner Lincoln Brookes offered condolences to the family and suspended the coronial investigation to prioritise a police inquiry. The initial cause of death was acute toxicity from a prescription drug. Essex coroner Sonia Hayes will take over inquest proceedings at a later date.
