Saturday, November 21, 2015

Teen found hanged in woods may have been making a 'cry for help'

Teen found hanged in woods may have been making a 'cry for help'

Jennifer Fry's body was found by her mum after she received a call to say she hadn't arrived at school

INS
Tragedy: Jennifer Fry, 15, was found hanged after failing to cope with the suicide of a classmate
A 15-year-old schoolgirl who was found hanged may have been making a "cry for help", an inquest has heard.
Jennifer Fry was still wearing her school uniform when she was found in a children's play area by her devastated mum.
A coroner heard that Jenny had written her first suicide note six months before taking her own life and a month after police converged on her family home because she made suicidal threats over social media websites.
But her mum Debbie said she did not take her daughter to a GP despite police advice because she was worried Jenny would be admitted to a mental hospital, or given medication which had not worked for her friend Tom Boomer, who had leapt to his death from a multi-storey car park after becoming depressed when he moved schools.
Both of her parents also argued that Jenny's suicidal ideation was the result of radiation poisoning because of wi-fi in the home and at school.
Debbie said her daughter had "classic" symptoms of being sensitive to electromagnetic fields but was unable produce any medical evidence that her daughter had suffered.
INS
Jennifer (pictured as a child) was found by her mum in woodland after failing to arrive at school
The inquest in Oxford was told that concerned staff at Jenny's secondary school had contacted her family on the morning of June 11 when she did not arrive at school.
Her mum, who said she had an "instinctive feeling" something was wrong, went looking for her daughter and made the tragic discovery at about 4.30pm.
Detectives called to Brooke Forest in Chadlington, Oxfordshire found the teenager's mobile phone and schoolbag at the foot of the tree.
Inside they found a knife and a suicide note which made reference to another note on her computer.
Officers later discovered she had written the digital suicide note six months earlier, on December 19.
The inquest in Oxford heard that officers also found Jenny had sent two suicidal texts to school mates telling them of her plans to harm herself in the woods.
After Jenny's body was found ambulance crews attended and confirmed her death and an initial police report said that there were no suspicious circumstances.
FacebookTom Boomer
Jenny was deeply upset after her friend Tom Boomer (pictured) leapt from a car park and died
A post mortem examination confirmed death by hanging.
Speaking at the inquest Mrs Fry said that when she found Jenny she thought she was still alive and talked to her before realising what had happened.
The inquest heard evidence that on November 4, 2014 police were called to the family home because of threats Jenny had made to end her life.
Mrs Fry, of Chadlington, Oxfordshire, said: "She made threats to commit suicide over social media. She was depressed by the death of her friend Tom."
Her mum said that she had an "instinctive feeling" that something was wrong when Jenny left the house that morning.
She added: "I had a mother's instinct. Then I had two voicemails from the school later that day saying that she had not turned up to school.
"I found out she had sent two texts saying she wanted to hurt herself and the last time she was seen was by her sister Emma, running into the woods.
"When I saw her I thought she was still alive. I tried talking to her and when I moved around her I could see what had happened," said Mrs Fry.
Google Maps
Jennifer left her home in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, (pictured) but did not show up at school that morning in June this year
In November 2014 concerned friends had contacted Thames Valley Police because of Jenny's suicidal messages on social media.
Officers left the schoolgirl in the care of her parents with the advice that they should contact either the family's GP or the children and young adult mental health service .
Coroner Darren Salter said he was very surprised that neither of her parents took up the advice and there was no evidence by her GP that she had been feeling low or depressed.
He recorded a verdict of suicide but minutes later retracted it because the family argued that Jenny had sent texts telling friends her location so that she could be found and stopped.
Instead giving a narrative verdict, Mr Salter acknowledged the teenager had taken her own life but could not be sure of her intentions.
He said: "I am not entirely convinced that it was a cry for attention or help but I cannot rule it out. I am not going to return a verdict of suicide.
PAPolice Officer
Police were called to the scene after Jenny's mum found her body
"My narrative conclusion is that on June 11 she hanged herself from a tree.
"She sent texts warning of her proposed actions and gave her location.
"It cannot be demonstrated to the required standard of proof that she intended to take her own life."
Jenny's friend Tom Boomer, who also went to Chipping Norton School, killed himself just 10 days after being prescribed anti-depressants because he was struggling to cope with depression after moving schools.
Despite a reported improvement in his mood in the days before his death, the boy jumped from a car park in the early hours of March 31, shortly after being reported missing from his family home.
Earlier that same day the 14-year-old had sent a text message to a friend saying: "I am constantly contemplating suicide."
Tom's body was found by a passer-by who alerted emergency services.
Despite the best efforts of trauma teams at hospital, the schoolboy could not be saved and died from severe head injuries.
At the inquest into his death his father, Doug Boomer, questioned the decision to put his son on anti-depressants and why the family was not more involved in the decision.
The teenager was prescribed Prozac to combat his depression but the hearing in Oxford was told that the mental health team at the hospital trust had discussed the move before then.

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