( dpa ) - British police have set up a task force to probe a series of apparently unexplained suicides by young people in a small town in the south-western region of Wales following speculation that the deaths followed internet "suicide pacts."
Reports Thursday said the task force, including police, children's services and mental-health experts, would investigate apparently unexplained suicides by young people in the town of Bridgend.
The experts will seek to establish what, if any, links there are between the young people taking their own lives in the area.
Natasha Randall, 17, found hanged in her bedroom a week ago, was the last in a series of seven youngsters who have taken their own lives over the past 12 months.
While police insist that there is so far "no evidence of a suicide pact," they have confirmed that Natasha's computer is being examined.
"There is no suggestion that they all knew each other," police superintendent Tim Jones said.
However, police were "continuing to explore" possible links between local suicide victims.
Natasha was the first female victim of the suicide series which began in January, 2007, when the body of 18-year-old Dale Crole was found in a disused building.
Police said there were known associations between only two or three victims and so far no "common thread" had been found to link all seven.