21 February 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A new bill making its way through the state legislature would make it a felony to encourage or help someone die by suicide.
The bill is sparked by stories from parents who lost their children after they were encouraged to commit suicide in online forums. The mother of one of those children now focuses on advocacy after her son died two years ago.
When Kristi Khan found out she was pregnant with her son Kai, she was thrilled.
“He was actually my miracle child, my only child,” Khan said. “I had struggled with fertility issues and was told I would never be able to get pregnant on my own, and then, ‘Surprise!’ I had him.”
According to Khan, despite his young age — forever 18 — Kai was an old soul who loved reading books and learning about history. He wanted to be a nurse.
“He was just a sweet shy kid, never would say anything bad about anybody, had such a kind heart, very sensitive,” Khan said.
Kai struggled with mental health since middle school, but he seemed to be doing better. Khan checked in regularly. So it was a surprise to Khan when he died by suicide nearly two years ago.
She got into his email account and found a website where he had chatted with others about his mental health struggles. He had been encouraged to take his own life and given information on how to do so.
“It was devastating and enraging. I was so mad,” Khan said. “I remember calling the detective and being like, ‘Hey, look, I found this, they pushed this,’ and then hearing that it’s not against the law — I just could not believe it.”
Representative Brenda Landwehr requested the bill for introduction in the Kansas legislature.
“It was kind of a no-brainer to want to stand up and make this a criminal offense,” said Landwehr.
She said encouraging someone to take their own life is wrong and should be a crime in Kansas.
Khan said she and other families know it’s too late to save their own children.
“We just really want to protect future children or young adults, anyone who’s going through this situation from having this so easily accessible,” Khan said.
The bill itself is still in its early stages. HB 2676 is in a house committee now and would need approval from the House, Senate, and governor to become law.
As it is now, it would expand the definition of “assisting suicide” and implement felony penalties.
The bill defines several acts as assisting suicide. They fall under two main categories: Knowingly causing or intending to cause someone to take their own life and intentionally helping someone take their own life.
Representative Dennis Highberger sits on the House Committee on Judiciary, where the bill is currently being heard and workshopped.
He said he appreciates the intent of the bill, but he has concerns about how enforceable it is, especially if the perpetrators are in online chatrooms and live outside the state or country.
According to him, it would be difficult to track those people down and prosecute them in Kansas courts.
If you or a loved one are struggling, some mental health resources are listed below:
COMCARE 24-hour Community Crisis Line: 316-660-7500
Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas: 316-685-1821
Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration: 1-800-662-help (4357)
Psychology Today: Find therapists in your area, see who takes your insurance, and learn more information about mental health
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Chat online or call 988
To find more “Where to find help” stories, click here.