By ninemsn staff
Two cousins have been found hanged in Bridgend, the south Wales town rocked by a spate of teenage suicides in the past year.
Nathaniel Pritchard, 15, was still alive when found hanging in the attic of his family home on Wednesday but died yesterday when his life support machine was turned off.
His cousin Kelly Stephenson, 20, was told of his suicide bid while holidaying in Kent and warned there was little hope he'd survive, the Daily Mail reports.
Kelly was found dead shortly after midnight yesterday by a relative, after saying she was going to the bathroom.
Their deaths bring the suicide toll in Bridgend to 16.
Media reports claimed teenagers were killing themselves because memorial websites were seen as prestigious.
South Wales and Bridgend officials have played down any connection to websites and said they did not believe the two apparent suicides were linked.
Nathaniel and Kelly lived 14 houses apart and friends were quoted by the Mail as saying they were "very close".
One of Kelly's internet friends was quoted as saying: "I know seven of the people who have killed themselves.
"People are saying it's got something to do with the internet but I don't believe that.
"But then I can't explain it either."
On Kelly's Bebo site, she said one of her biggest fears was "losing the people I love".
It was revealed earlier this week there had been nine other similar hangings in neighbouring valleys, but not all were young people.
The spate of suicides began in January 2007, with the death of 18-year-old Dale Crole.
There have already been three deaths this year.
All 16 victims were aged between 15 and 27.
Madeleine Moon, Labour MP for the town, was quoted by The Observer last month as saying she wasn't sure social networking sites had any major impact on the suicides.
Young people communicating with text messages and e-mails to deal with emotional problems were more concerning, she said.
Dr Jonathon Scourfield, a lecturer in social sciences, said cultural and social influences were influential in the decision to commit suicide.
"The more stories that appear about young people having killed themselves in your area, the more it might appear to you to be a reasonable response to a particular kind of crisis," he said.
If you are feeling depressed or in trouble, or need someone to talk to, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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