17-year-old Ica Policarpio went missing last Thursday, December 21 in Muntinlupa City. On Sunday morning, December 24, she was found in San Pablo Laguna.
Ica’s family posted numerous pleas for help on social media, which subsequently led to Ica finally being reunited with her family after almost 4 days of being missing.
After Ica was found, her family was initially silent about her disappearance. Eventually, they released a statement regarding what really happened to Ica.
A photo taken by a group of friends became one of the clues about Ica’s whereabouts.
Source: Facebook.com
The disappearance of Ica Policarpio was not a prank
After Ica’s disappearance, numerous theories spread online as to why she had gone missing. One of the prevailing theories was that it was a prank on social media called the “48 hour challenge.”
Her family debunked this theory saying, “She DID NOT join any such challenge. Her disappearance was not a prank.”
According to them, Ica’s disappearance was out of “deep emotional distress.”
They also appealed to netizens to spare Ica their judgment.
In a Facebook post, her sister shares, “At this point, she does not deserve our blind judgment and hate. She is only 17 years old, still a child.”
“If there’s anything positive that we hope can result from this experience, it is to raise awareness about the stigma of mental health and the growing culture of hate which unfortunately exists in our country’s cyberspace, and collective mind space.”
She also thanked everyone who helped them in finding Ica as well as the family who took Ica in when they found her “crying and disoriented in a carinderia in front of a cemetery at 6:00AM on December 24 in Barangay IIB San Pablo City.”
Read the full statement below:
Parents should know more about mental health
The case of Ica’s disappearance highlights just how important it is for parents to be aware of their children’s mental health.
All too often, moms and dads fail to notice the signs of a decline in their child’s mental health simply because of a lack of awareness.
That’s why parents should make it a point to learn more about mental health. Know the signs that your child might be having problems:
- Feelings of sadness, or being withdrawn.
- Evidence of self-harm, or attempts to hurt themselves.
- Experiencing anxiety or a sudden fear for no apparent reason.
- Wanting to hurt others, or getting into frequent fights.
- Having intense anxiety that gets in the way of daily activities.
- Drug or alcohol abuse.
- Severe mood swings.
- A sudden drastic change in behavior.
If you notice any of these signs in your child, make sure to talk to them and ask them if they have any problems. Being open and encouraging your child to share their feelings is a big step when it comes to addressing mental health problems.
Source: rappler.com
READ: ‘Smiling depression’ is very real, and it’s more dangerous than you think
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