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An 11-year-old girl found hanged in her bedroom had asked for a glass photo frame to be taken away while she battled depression, so she could not self-harm.

Tragic Nelly Pelaez was found by her mum, who has now spoken out in a bid to raise awareness about childhood depression.

The "bright and brilliant" schoolgirl was found by Kathleen Palaez earlier this month when she went to wake her up for school.

In the months leading up to her death, Nelly endured "dark moods" and began to withdraw, Kathleen said.

The 43-year-old product manager, from Los Angeles, California, said: "It was completely unexpected because she had been doing so much better.

(Image: Kathleen Pelaez / SWNS.com)

"She became this warm and loving girl again. I believe this force of depression hit her hard in the middle of the night.

"She was only 11. She could have had 90 years in front of her.

"I have to now live in a world without Nelly. It's a different world I live in now, and it's not a world I want to live in without my daughter."

Kathleen said Nelly became depressed five months ago after falling out with a friend at summer camp.

Nelly returned home early and later blocked the other child on social media, but Kathleen said her daughter was "profoundly" affected by the argument.

She began to experience "dark moods" where she would "withdraw", struggle to sleep and suffer suicidal thoughts.

(Image: Kathleen Pelaez / SWNS.com)

At one point, Nelly asked her mother to remove a photo frame from her bedroom because she feared she would cut herself using the glass.

She also had sessions with a therapist and a psychiatrist and, on the advice of doctors, signed an agreement with her mother promising she wouldn't self-injure.

Kathleen said: "It came to the extreme of her being not allowed to close her bedroom door or be alone in her room.

"I wanted her safe. She once asked me to remove a framed photo from her room because of the glass in the frame.

"She said, 'If I am feeling depressed or dark, I don't want that there.' She asked me to remove it and I did.

"She had engaged in self-injurious behaviour but not ever to a degree that required any medical attention.

(Image: Kathleen Pelaez / SWNS.com)

"I had asked her to enter into a written contract with me that she wouldn't do that.

"Since we had made that contract she had done it two more times but she hadn't for quite some time.

"I felt very helpless. There had never been a problem that either of my children had had that I wasn't able to kiss and cuddle away.

"I could not help her."

Kathleen said that Nelly's death was a "shock" and that in recent weeks she had seen an improvement in her daughter's mood.

The youngster, who was close to her little sister Emma, nine, had recently started a new middle school and was making friends through her nightly dance classes.

(Image: Kathleen Pelaez / SWNS.com)

Even so, Kathleen and Nelly's dad, who are separated, had agreed that she would be prescribed antidepressants at her next appointment.

Kathleen said: "She had an appointment with a neuropsychiatrist scheduled for November 8, which she, of course, didn't get to have.

"It was at that point that we were going to go ahead and consent to medication.

"We had talked about it with Nelly and she was willing to try it."

On the day before she died, Kathleen said Nelly was in a "delightful mood".

She enjoyed a sushi lunch with her family - her favorite food - and went shopping for art supplies.

Before going to bed, Nelly painted a "beautiful" canvas of a cityscape with a park at sunset.

She fell asleep with the TV on and Kathleen went into her bedroom to turn it off around 9pm.

"I remember I said, 'goodnight baby,' and she said, 'goodnight mom', and then I left.

"And that was the last time I talked to her."

Kathleen discovered Nelly's body at around 5.55am on November 5.

(Image: Kathleen Pelaez / SWNS.com)

"I went into her room and for an instant thought that she was kneeling next to her bed like she was praying, which she didn't do," Kathleen said.

"I thought it was unusual and then I realized what was happening."

She said her partner Randall Hammond, 41, a technical producer, rushed into the room after hearing her scream.

"He called 911. I ran and got scissors and cut her down.

"The 911 operator had me start CPR and then Randall took over while I ran out to the front to open the gate for the ambulance I heard coming up the street.

"From that point on I wasn't allowed back in the room.

"They came out of the room within just a few minutes to tell me she was gone."

(Image: Kathleen Pelaez / SWNS.com)

Nelly's death is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Coroner. The case is not being treated as suspicious, the LAPD said.

The Pelaez family want to highlight Nelly's story to raise awareness about depression in children.

They also set up a fund in the youngster's memory which has raised more than $20,000 from around 400 donors so far.

It will cover the cost of a memorial service for Nelly, and any remaining funds will go towards community resources to maximize suicide intervention.

(Image: Kathleen Pelaez / SWNS.com)

Kathleen said: "We don't realize, we don't believe that a child this age would make this choice and so we don't have the conversation.

"I just want to put every resource I can towards helping a child that thinks that this is their only option, or that this is the best option."

Paying tribute to her daughter, Kathleen said her daughter was a talented pianist, singer and trumpeter who loved gymnastics, dance and taekwondo.

Above all, she loved to paint and draw and would want to be remembered as an artist.

Kathleen said: "She was remarkable in every way.

"She never ceased to amaze me. She never ceased to make me laugh. I'm incredibly proud."

To donate to the memorial fund, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/nelly-pelaez-memorial-fund

Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org