- Although suicide among young children

is uncommon, it is on a troubling climb.

According to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention,

from 1999 to 2015, morethan 1,300 children

ages five to 12 tooktheir own lives in the US.

In Alabama, family and friendsare mourning the recent death

of nine-year-old McKenzie Adams.

Her family believes bullying at school

led McKenzie to take her life,

a claim disputed by school officials.

- Things you wouldn't thinka nine-year-old should know.

And for my baby to tellme some of the things

that they had said to her,

I was just like where arethey learning this from.

- [Charlene] At least threeother children under 12

have also died by suicide this year.

Mental health experts say,while bullying plays a big role,

other issues can contributeto this tragic trend.

- We are seeing an increasein the rates of depression

and anxiety, particularly in middle school

and high school aged children.

And much of that is dueto the frenetic pace

within which we lead ourlives in the modern era.

And of course, a key contributor to that

is the non-stop accessing of technology.

- [Charlene] Child and family psychologist

Jesse Gill points out how young children

are especially vulnerable to technology.

- This is radicallychanging the neural pathways

of the human brain, thecapacity to pay attention,

the capacity even to havethe deeper attachment bonds.

- [Charlene] And the problem continues

as children get older.

Suicide is the secondleading cause of death

among young people betweenthe age of 15 and 24.

The Parents TelevisionCouncil has pushed Netflix

to remove 13 Reasons Why,a controversial program

about a teen who committedsuicide, from its line-up.

- We have to speak up and speak out.

That's why we're trying tobuild a national choir on this.

The more voices to the choir, the better.

- [Charlene] Meanwhile,there are positive ways

to address these issuesin most neighborhoods.

Studies show kids who attend church

may be less likely to fallvictim to depression and suicide.

Researchers say a regularreligious routine,

such as attending services or prayer,

was associated with positive outcomes

such as higher levels ofhappiness and volunteering.

This lines up with findingsthat kids had a lower risk

of suicide if religion wasimportant to their parents.

Experts recommend parents

limit their child's technology intake

and spend meaningful,one-on-one time with them.

- These are the things thatare going to bolster us

and preserve us and trulyhelp our kids to experience

the love of God, the savinggrace of Jesus Christ

through those tangible expressions

of our relationship with them.

- Several states are beginning to require

mental health education for students

to help them cope with someof these issues facing kids

from bullying to depressionand suicidal thoughts.

Charlene Aaron, CBN News.