A mother's four-year quest for answers about her teenage son's tragic death took an emotional turn on live television this week, following a potential breakthrough in her fight to access his social media data.
Breakdown on Breakfast
Ellen Roome appeared on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, becoming visibly overwhelmed while discussing the loss of her 14-year-old son, Jools Sweeney. Jools died in 2022, and his mother has long suspected his death resulted from a dangerous online challenge that went wrong.
Presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay detailed Ellen's campaign to access Jools's social media accounts, which she believes hold vital clues. For years, she has been blocked by tech companies who denied her access, fearing the data had expired.
A Glimmer of Hope in the Data
The broadcast revealed a significant development: Gloucestershire Police have confirmed that a digital copy of the contents of Jools's phone, secured by officers after his death, still exists. This contradicts previous fears that the crucial information had been deleted.
"I feel a bit hopeful but worried," Ellen admitted in response to the news. "You know, I'm almost four years down the line. But that could hold a lot of evidence."
When asked what this development meant, she struggled for words, stating: "I don't have any words. I've tried for so long just to understand why my special boy isn't here and I am desperate to try and understand that."
The Final Day and a Lingering Mystery
A report into the circumstances outlined that Jools had spent his last day happily with friends, playing on a boat. Ring doorbell footage later showed him saying goodbye to a friend. Tragically, just ninety minutes later, his mother found him unresponsive in his bedroom.
The coroner stated it was unlikely Jools intended to end his life, fuelling Ellen's belief that an online activity led to the tragedy. "I don't know because I can't see his messages," she explained. "So the longer this has gone on and the more parents I've met I started to think, well what was he doing?"
A new team at Gloucestershire Police is now examining Jools's data, with answers expected within four weeks. For Ellen Roome, this represents the closest she has come in four agonising years to potentially understanding the final moments of her son's life.
