NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A new bill making coercive suicide a felony in Tennessee is heading to Gov. Bill Lee's desk after unanimously passing the state legislature this week.
The Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law, led by State Rep. Ryan Williams and Sen. Paul Bailey, makes it a felony to intentionally encourage someone to take their own life. If signed, the law will take effect July 1 and carry a punishment of up to 12 years in prison.
The legislation was championed by Candi Sparks and her daughter, Hannah Kay Duncan, following the 2019 death of Grace Anne Sparks.
"My oldest daughter, Hannah, looked at me and said, you know, a good came out of this in the end," Sparks said.
Grace Anne's death was initially ruled a suicide, but detectives uncovered that she had been introduced to a 20-year-old man in Indiana through a social media app.
"This person had an influence over her for several years, from the time she was 12 till 19," Sparks said.
In September 2019, the man convinced Grace Anne to play a deadly game while he watched online. He was arrested, but because coercive suicide was not a crime in Tennessee at the time, he was sentenced to just two years in prison.
"There was a time where they looked at us and they were like, 'We don't know if we're going to be able to do anything about it.' And just that sense of, wow, you're looking at me with your badge, and you're telling me you know what happened, that he told her to pull the trigger, and you can't do anything about it," Duncan said.
Sparks and Duncan shared their story at the state capitol to advocate for the new legislation, receiving standing ovations from lawmakers.
"We had to kind of lay our most private, you know, heart-wrenching moments out there for the public record. But it did a lot of good, because now there's a lot of heartbreak that will be saved," Duncan said.
"I felt like I had succeeded in honoring her in some small way, in trying to find some way to salvage a drop of positivity out of what happened to her," Sparks said.
The new law aims to provide stricter penalties and a stronger deterrent for those who encourage suicide.
"So, when another mama is facing this, Grace Anne's law will make sure that a punishment is given, a real punishment," Sparks said.
"Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law, 2026," Duncan said.
"I think Grace Anne is proud that we've done this in her name... she was the kind of person that would want something good to happen out of evil," Sparks said.
If you or someone you love is struggling, help is available. You can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 anytime.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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