Warning: This article contains suicide references which may cause some readers to feel distressed.
A war criminal has some chilling final words before he drank poison in court and died by suicide.
It’s not often that you can say that you actually heard someone’s last words, especially in such a setting.
But those who were in the room with Slobodan Praljak will never be able to forget.
It was on 29 November 2017 in a United Nations (UN) courtroom for an appeal hearing for Praljak’s 20-year jail sentence that he ended his own life.
The ex-commander of Bosnian Croat forces had been sent down for war crimes after being convicted of crimes against humanity in 2013.
However, the appeals judge was not going to be lenient on him.
Slobodan Praljak drank cyanide in court (YouTube/ TRTWorld)
Once the judge confirmed the 72-year-old’s long and hard sentence, he took his own life, right in front of those in attendance, and the cameras.
You can see how he looked moments before he uttered his last words, as he fiddled with a bottle in his hands.
Praljak went on to claim that he was innocence and then drank from the small bottle containing potassium cyanide before collapsing.
According to the BBC, the former commander of Bosnian Croat military forces shouted for all to hear: “Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal. I am rejecting the court ruling.”
He then tipped his head back and quickly drank the liquid.
All of this was streamed live from the court’s website, and anyone could have witnessed him collapsing.
Praljak died two hours later in a Dutch hospital, but one questioned remained: How did he manage to get the bottle inside of court?
He was fiddling with the bottle in court (YouTube/TRTWorld)
Nobody actually knows.
In 2018, Dutch prosecutors ended their investigation into Praljak’s suicide after an investigation had been launched into how the war criminal was able get it into the UN courtroom.
The Hague Public Prosecution Service concluded in a statement that they could not find out ‘in what way and at what point in time Mr Praljak had obtained the potassium cyanide he used’.
Surveillance footage from court also led to nothing after police and prosecutors reviewed it and interviewed witnesses.
The also searched his UN cell and found that there were no criminal offences committed in his bid to die by suicide.
According to reports, Praljak left a handwritten ‘farewell letter’ to his family, which was left in his cell at the UN Detention Unit, where he resided for years while he waited for the outcome of his 1992-95 Bosnian war crimes.
It is said to have been written two years before he killed himself.
It told his wife and step-children that he didn’t want a funeral, but did want his ashes to be scattered over a cemetery in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.
Prosecutors shared that he wrote ‘that he had already decided to put an end to his life a long time ago, should he be found guilty’.
If you have been affected by any of these issues and want to reach out to someone, call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Featured Image Credit: ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP via Getty Images / ICTY/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Topics: World News
Harrowing footage caught by a woman in 2019 documented her fiancé’s last moments after he attempted to pull off a unique proposal.
American Steven Weber had been staying in a submerged cabin at the Manta Resort, in the holiday destination of Tanzania, with his partner, Kenesha Antoine.
She was recording when Weber dived underwater on their third night at the resort, appearing beneath the glass that made up part of the floor in the cabin, with a view into the water below.
Weber tried to carry out a romantic gesture. (Facebook/Kenesha Antoine)
The video of the chilling incident has began to go viral once again on X, as Weber can be seen pressing a handwritten proposal note against the glass after Antoine noticed him pop up below, equipped with a mask and fins.
He then presses a hand-written proposal note against the glass for his partner to read, which is concealed in a zip-lock bag.
Antoine, who continued to film, was audibly surprised and thrilled that he carried out the romantic act, laughing with joy as she read the note.
It read: “I can’t hold my breath long enough to tell you everything I love about you. But… everything I love about you, I love more every day!”
He then turned the note to pop the question, as it read: ‘Will you marry me?’
He then pulled out a ring, and began to make his way back to the surface after his partner had seen it.
Sadly, Weber didn’t make it back to the surface alive, as Antoine confirmed her partner’s untimely death in a post on Facebook, detailing that he ‘never emerged from those depths’.
The Manta Resort sadly confirmed to the BBC that Weber had ‘tragically drowned while free diving alone outside the underwater room’, saying in a statement: “It is with the deepest regret that we inform that a fatal accident occurred at The Manta Resort on Thursday 19 September, 2019.”
CEO of the resort, Matthew Saus, stated that everyone was ‘shaken to the core’ following Weber’s passing.
He told the BBC that staff responded swiftly to a ‘problem in the water’, but sadly added that ‘nothing could be done’ by the time they had got there.
The couple booked to stay for four nights at the resort’s famous underwater room, which was an estimated 250m from shore, costing approximately £1,300 a night and was also anchored in water 10m deep.
He pulled out a ring to propose underneath their hotel, shortly before dying. (Facebook/Kenesha Antoine)
In an emotional Facebook post, Antoine revealed that Weber never got to hear her answer to his question, which she revealed would have been ‘a million times, yes’.
She added: “We never got to embrace and celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives together, as the best day of our lives turned into the worst, in the cruellest twist of fate imaginable,
“I will try to take solace in the fact that we enjoyed the most amazing bucket list experiences these past few days, and that we both were so happy and absolutely giddy with excitement in our final moments together.”
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Kenesha Antoine
Topics: News, World News
Warning: This article contains discussions of assisted dying which some readers may find distressing
A 57-year-old woman revealed the reason she decided to die by euthanasia in a heartbreaking final message.
Euthanasia – often referred to as assisted dying – is administered to patients who suffer from life-long and debilitating illnesses that have a poor prognosis.
The practice is seen as controversial due to ethical reasons and is currently illegal under English law. However, countries such as the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium allow euthanasia in cases where a patient is either terminally ill or in extreme pain.
It’s for this reason that Dutch national Edina Slayter-Engelsman decided to return to the Netherlands, after spending 30 years living in Scotland, due to suffering from severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
Edina Slayter-Engelsman was diagnosed with ME in 2020 and became bedbound within weeks. (BBC/ Slayter-Engelsman family)
What is Myalgic encephalomyelitis?
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a chronic condition which can impact different parts of the body. It’s reported that around 250,000 people in the UK have ME, with one in four suffers reporting severe symptoms like Edina.
The most common symptom of ME is extreme tiredness which can make performing daily tasks such as showering or eating difficult. Patients also report dealing with sleep problems, brain fog and post-exertional malaise (which sees symptoms flare up for weeks after any physical or mental activity).
It’s not known what causes ME and there is currently no cure for the condition and complications of the disease can sometimes cause death in severe cases.
Recording a series of video messages before her death Edina detailed what it was like to be ‘bedbound’ with the condition.
‘This disease has taken everything from me’
Edina was diagnosed with ME back in February 2020 and within weeks she went from an active lifestyle – which included cycling, swimming and hiking – to being unable to leave her bed.
“This disease has taken everything from me,” she explained in a series of videos which her family have shared with BBC Scotland.
After exhausting all treatment options, Edina was granted euthanasia in her native Netherlands. (BBC/ Slayter-Engelsman family)
Describing the illness as a ‘spider’s web’, she continued: “Every time you try to get out, the web just gets tighter and tighter around you.”
She went on to reveal that ME has left her feeling isolated from her family due to extreme sensitivity to ‘stimulation’.
“I exist but I don’t live and this condition has become unbearable to me and has been for a long time now, to the point where I want to end my life,” Edina explained.
After exhausting all treatment options in the UK Edina returned to the Netherlands in 2023, where she underwent a series of assessments.
After concluding there were no other treatment options available, Edina was granted the option of euthanasia and she died by lethal injection while surrounded by her close family.
Edina’s family are now hoping that sharing her story will help raise awareness about ME and the lack of treatment options available for sufferers.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Featured Image Credit: BBC/ Slayter-Engelsman Family
Topics: Health, UK News, World News
The devastating final words of a young woman who died on a flight last month have been revealed as a witness admitted the tragedy will be ‘etched’ in his ‘memory for life’.
On 20 June, 24-year-old student Manpreet Kaur boarded a Qantas flight from Melbourne, Australia to Delhi, India.
However, she tragically passed away before the aircraft took off.
Manpreet had moved to Australia in 2020 to chase her dreams of becoming a chef.
In the week prior to her death, the culinary student had been feeling unwell. Her cousin and roommate, Kuldeep Kaur, said she’d had ‘difficult talking’ and ‘no energy to do anything.’
She said Manpreet was travelling home to Dharampura, India so her family could look after her.
But when got on the plane, she reportedly struggled to put her seatbelt on, then ‘fell in front of her seat and died on the spot.’
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Manpreet Kaur had been travelling home to India when she passed away (GoFundMe)
Kuldeep said she ‘couldn’t believe it’ when police told her that she’d passed away.
She shared her cousin’s final words to her with the Daily Mail Australia.
“I drove her to the airport that morning and she said, ‘I will come back’,” Kuldeep said.
A passenger sitting next to Manpreet has since shared further details about the tragedy.
Ravinder Singh told News.com.au that when he took his seat next to Manpreet, he noticed ‘she began scrolling through photos on her mobile phone and stopped at a photograph of an elderly couple.’
“I asked if they were her parents. She smiled and nodded and kept staring at it,” he said.
However, when the plane was preparing for takeoff, Ravinder realised that something was wrong.
Manpreet had put her phone down and had ‘leaned forward to rest her head on the seat in front.’
Her cousin has since revealed Manpreet’s final words before she boarded the Qantas flight (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
He tried to tell her to ‘sit upright’ for takeoff and when the plane ‘jerked’ and she didn’t wake up, he called for help from cabin crew. She was later evacuated from the plane.
Ravinder says the devastating incident will be ‘etched’ in his ‘memory for life.’
A post-mortem confirmed that Manpreet had been suffering from tuberculosis. This led authorities to rule that her body could not be transported out of Australia.
Her family have been forced to apply for visas to fly to the country to attend her funeral.
Manpreet’s friend, Gurdip Grewal has has since started a GoFundMe to raise money for her family.
The page reads: “Our dear friend Manpreet left us too soon, leaving a void in our lives that can never be filled.
“As we grieve her passing, we want to come together to honor her memory and support her family in their time of need.
“As we say our final goodbyes, every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our goal. Your support means the world to us and Manpreet’s family.”
A Qantas spokesperson told news.com.au that the airline’s ‘thoughts are with [Manpreet’s] family and loved ones.’
Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe/WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Health, Travel, World News
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A British mum-of-five who died following a ‘liquid Brazilian bum lift (BBL)’ procedure posted about her family in a final Facebook post before her death.
Alice Delsie Preete Webb, 33, has been named as the first person in the UK to die following a liquid BBL procedure.
It’s understood the beautician attended a studio in Gloucester on Monday evening (September 23) where she underwent the ‘minimally invasive, non-surgical treatment’.
Two people have been arrested in connection with Webb’s death (Facebook / Alice Webb)
She died at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday (September 24), officials confirmed.
Gloucestershire Police’s Major Crime team is currently investigating Webb’s death. The two people who have been arrested have now been released on bail.
The night before undergoing the ‘cosmetic procedure’ (September 22), the mother took to Facebook to post a picture of a pre-surgery ‘present’ given to her by one of her daughters.
The gift was a small pumpkin, which was shared with the caption: “How cute”.
In the comments section, she uploaded another snap of the now-carved pumpkin with a tealight inside.
Alongside the image, she wrote: “My little lamp,” as per The Sun.
Webb shared a picture of a pumpkin before her death (Facebook / Alice Webb)
Following Webb’s death, her partner Dane Knight has released a statement.
“Want to say a heart felt thank you to all family and friends that were here for us at our time of need, including all of the kind messages sent to my children and myself,” he wrote.
“There was some very beautiful messages sent by some of your children that formed a start of a smile from the corner of my kids mouth.
“I feel this is important saying this as I will not accept speculations from adults being accidentally being eavesdropped by children and unnecessary questions raised to the five girls, so be extremely careful on what you say and who’s around! My children are extremely vulnerable!”
He added that those speaking about his partner’s death should have her five daughters’ ‘feelings at heart’.
Dr Paul Banwell, a founding member of the Safer Cosmetic Surgery Group has explained how a liquid BBL is considered a ‘controversial procedure within the industry’.
A doctor has issued a warning following the woman’s death (Facebook/Alice Webb)
Unlike traditional BBL surgery, the liquid version uses dermal filler injections to ‘enhance the shape and size’ of a person’s buttocks.
“At present, Brazilian butt lifts, including liquid BBLs (and all other injectables) are legal in the UK but sadly remain woefully unregulated,” the plastic surgeon told LADbible.
“This heartbreaking news should prompt action at their highest levels. I hope this loss will encourage much-needed urgent conversations about improving safety standards in the UK aesthetics industry and make this a doctor-only procedure.”
He added that anyone who is thinking about going under the knife should always make sure their chosen practitioner is ‘fully medically qualified’ and that they specialise in the procedure you’re considering.
