The Real Reason
It turns out that the 16-year-old girl suffered from severe depression. Her parents had gone through a divorce a few years prior, which took a major toll on her mental health and her happiness.
As an unforeseen consequence of her depression, her hair suffered as well. Matted hair like hers didn’t come from just a few days of not brushing it. It was from multiple months of leaving it unattended and uncared for.