Coroner links Aussie teen’s suicide to sextortion, calls for better online safety

Rohan Patrick Cosgriff, 17, died after being extorted over an intimate image on SnapChat. Photo / 123RF

WARNING: This story discusses suicide and may be distressing.

Sextortion victims need to know they’ll be okay and have done nothing wrong, says a coroner who found a teen was pressured into sending an intimate picture.

Education about online safety can help prevent deaths like that of a teen who fell victim to a sextortion scam, a coroner says.

Rohan Patrick Cosgriff was 17 when he was found dead at his home near Ballarat, Australia, in July 2022. In his pocket was a note saying: “I made a huge mistake. I’m sorry.”

Police later discovered that in the two days before his death, the teen was a victim of sexual extortion.

He’d been pressured into sending an intimate picture of himself to someone called “Christine” on SnapChat, who then threatened to distribute the images unless money was paid. Investigators were unable to identify the person, but found the SnapChat account originated from Nigeria.

In a report released last week, Victorian Coroner Audrey Jamieson said a large amount of information was available for those who needed it – but a shift in education was needed.

”The fact remains that with all the education in the world, and no matter how many times the message ‘don’t send intimate images’ is repeated, young people will continue to do these things,” Jamieson said.

”The conversation must turn to, should you find yourself in this situation, it is going to be okay.”

A total of 11 other young people over the past decade have also taken their lives after being victims of sextortion or image-based abuse.

At least seven others died after they experienced bullying of a sexual nature but not image-based or sextortion.

”If a young person finds themself in a situation like Rohan did, the most important thing is that they know they have not done anything wrong,” the coroner wrote.

”And that the situation will not define the rest of their lives.”

The coroner also suggested the teen’s death could inform the statutory review of the Australian National Online Safety Act, particularly with respect to combating sextortion led by transnational crime syndicates.