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Girl, 12, from Norwich, killed herself because of grief over mother's death | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
A 12-year-old girl killed herself because of grief over her mother's death and feelings of "worthlessness", an inquest has heard. | |
Isabel Richardson's father Stephen found his daughter, from Norwich, hanging on 12 May. | |
The inquest heard that Isabel's self-harming had become a concern to her father and the Hewett School, where she was a pupil. | |
Coroner Jacqueline Lake said it was not clear Isabel intended to take her life. | Coroner Jacqueline Lake said it was not clear Isabel intended to take her life. |
Recording a narrative verdict, Ms Lake said: "Clearly Isabel was very upset by the death of her mother and had feelings of worthlessness and loss which she expressed on social media." | Recording a narrative verdict, Ms Lake said: "Clearly Isabel was very upset by the death of her mother and had feelings of worthlessness and loss which she expressed on social media." |
She said no-one could be blamed for her death and praised the care provided by Isabel's teachers. | She said no-one could be blamed for her death and praised the care provided by Isabel's teachers. |
'Robust care' | 'Robust care' |
But she added it was vital that pupils are properly cared for at the school. | But she added it was vital that pupils are properly cared for at the school. |
"I am concerned at the robustness of the structure of pastoral care," she said. "I have not heard clear evidence and want to be assured that it is robust." | "I am concerned at the robustness of the structure of pastoral care," she said. "I have not heard clear evidence and want to be assured that it is robust." |
Isabel's father Mr Richardson said in a statement, read out at the inquest in Norwich, that about five weeks before her death, he became aware that his daughter was self-harming. | |
He arranged for her to see a doctor, but Isabel asked him to cancel the appointment. | He arranged for her to see a doctor, but Isabel asked him to cancel the appointment. |
Mr Richardson had a meeting with pastoral staff at the school and Isabel and when teachers asked her why she self-harmed, she said she "missed her mum" who died in 2010. | |
On 12 May, Isabel's brother Kyle saw self-harm messages on social network Instagram and alerted his father who discovered his daughter and called an ambulance. | |
Isabel died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on 18 May. | Isabel died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on 18 May. |
Hewett School head teacher Tom Leverage said: "The welfare of students is always uppermost in our concerns and we will carefully consider the coroner's comments. | Hewett School head teacher Tom Leverage said: "The welfare of students is always uppermost in our concerns and we will carefully consider the coroner's comments. |
"We already take pastoral care very seriously but if there are things we can improve, we will." | "We already take pastoral care very seriously but if there are things we can improve, we will." |