12-year old child model and friend die after joining online death group

A 12years old Russian child model, Varvara Vlasova and her friend Valeria Shirshova have died after falling from a tower block. Just after their death, there have been reports of their participation in the Harry Potter-themed online “death group”.

The two friends both made a short video clip where they were seen smiling before plunging from the top of a 17-floor building in Samara, in south west Russia, the Sun reported.

It was also reported that the girls were classmates from “wealthy” families and were described as “excellent students” and had attended school before falling to their deaths.

They reportedly fell 170ft from the residential block where Varvara, a successful child model lived.

Police checking their viewing habits, reports said,

“The parents of the girls told police that the girls were in a certain group on social networks. There they were given some tasks,” reports Life.

“But, according to the adults, they thought it was harmless, so they did not attach importance to the hobby of their daughters.”

The so-called death groups operate by preying on young people, setting “tasks” which become ever-more dangerous.
ProGorod newspaper reported that Varvara and Valeria “had prepared for this, and said goodbye to their classmates”.

They are said to have told their friends that “on 9 February something would happen.”

The girls are also known to have watched popular Japanese manga series anime “Death Note”.

Major-General Alexey Moshkov, head of the anti-computer crime K department in the Russian Interior Ministry, has warned of thousands of online suicide groups.