Wales

Mother’s Grief Magnified by Social Media Video of Son’s Body

June 1, 2023
Cardiff News Online reporter

Mother’s Grief Magnified by Social Media Video of Son’s Body

A mother, who tragically lost her son to suicide, has spoken about the profound impact of a distressing video of his body being shared on social media.

Jenny Tancock was informed about the video days after her 39-year-old son, Daniel Knott, passed away on March 27. The footage had been recorded by Jacob Morse, 22, before emergency services arrived at the scene.

“It’s the ultimate insult, the ultimate degrading of someone, I think, to go and share it online for the world to see,” expressed Jenny, struggling to comprehend the callousness of the act.

On May 18, Morse appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court and received a six-week prison sentence after pleading guilty to circulating a highly offensive or indecent video on social media.

Jenny, residing in Betws, Carmarthenshire, chose not to watch the video, but the knowledge that others had seen it inflicted immense distress upon her and her family.

“[I felt] anger, pure anger, disbelief that somebody could be so vile as to arrive at a scene like that and actually video it,” shared Jenny.

Daniel loved hardcore dance music
Daniel loved hardcore dance music

She encountered Morse face-to-face during the court proceedings and admitted feeling overwhelmed with hatred. “I shouldn’t have been there; I was grieving… I just shook from head to toe the whole time,” she recalled.

Despite her anger, Jenny expressed mixed feelings about Morse’s six-week prison term. She grappled with conflicting emotions, considering Morse’s youthful appearance and pondering what her son, Daniel, would have wanted.

“I don’t think Dan would have wanted him to go to prison,” she contemplated. “Six weeks isn’t enough, but at the same time, it’s a prison sentence. He’s gone to prison, and that tells me that our justice system is taking it seriously.”

Now that the court case is behind her, Jenny is left to confront the horrors of the past eight weeks. “Losing a child is the worst thing that can ever happen to you. Losing them to suicide takes it to a different level,” she lamented.

Daniel is remembered as “an enigma, full of beans, full of life.” From the day he was born, he exhibited kindness, care, and generosity, endearing him to everyone. He grew up to become a raver with a passion for fun, hardcore dance music, and DJing.

However, his life took a turn seven years ago when a severe car accident resulted in a fractured skull and a broken back. Daniel underwent surgery to insert metal rods to stabilize his back.

“He lost his girlfriend, his house, his job, everything,” Jenny recounted. “Physically, he couldn’t play the decks anymore, he couldn’t stand for long, and he’d shake from head to toe because the rods were pressing on nerves. It’s almost as though Daniel lost the fight.”

The moment Jenny saw police officers at her door, she instinctively knew the devastating news they brought. “I just said, ‘Please don’t, please don’t.'”

Jenny and her family are receiving support from the local charity The Jac Lewis Foundation, established by Jac Lewis’s family after he also took his own life. The foundation has accompanied Jenny to court and arranged counseling sessions to aid her during this challenging time.

“The support has helped us enormously,” Jenny acknowledged, appreciative of the assistance she has received.