INTERNATIONAL – A wave of grief has swept through a quiet village in Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), after a ten-year-old elementary school student, identified by the initials YBR was found dead in an apparent suicide, leaving behind a handwritten letter that revealed a child’s heartbreak far too heavy for his age.
The boy was discovered early on the morning of January 28, 2026, hanging from a clove tree in Kecamatan Jerebuu. Beside him lay a simple sheet of paper, folded carefully, bearing words written in the Bajawa language—a final message addressed to his mother. It was not just a note, but a quiet cry of pain, love, and farewell.
Titled “Kertas Tii Mama Reti” (Letter for Mama Reti), the letter captured raw emotions in a child’s voice. YBR wrote of disappointment and hurt, calling his mother “stingy,” yet almost immediately softened his words, urging her not to cry if he died. His closing line—“Molo Mama” (“Goodbye, Mama”)—was accompanied by a small drawing of himself in tears, a haunting reminder of the loneliness he carried.
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Police later confirmed that the letter was written by YBR himself. “The note is authentic. It was found at the scene and written by the child,” said Ngada Police spokesperson Ipda Benediktus R. Pissort, affirming the heartbreaking authenticity of the message.
Preliminary information suggests the child may have been deeply distressed after being unable to obtain money for basic school supplies such as notebooks and pens. His mother, a single parent facing severe financial hardship, was reportedly unable to fulfill the request. Authorities caution that this remains part of an ongoing investigation and has not been confirmed as the sole cause.
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Neighbors said YBR usually lived with his grandmother. The night before his death, he stayed at his mother’s house in a nearby village. By morning, he was gone. A neighbor heading out to tend livestock made the tragic discovery.
As police continue to seek answers, the community is left with aching questions: how could a child feel so overwhelmed, so unheard, that he believed there was no other way out?
This devastating loss has ignited broader reflection on child mental health, poverty, and the silent emotional burdens carried by children especially in vulnerable communities. It is a painful reminder that even the youngest lives need understanding, reassurance, and support before despair takes root.
