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Girl, 12, killed herself after struggling with grief over mother's death | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A 12-year-old girl killed herself after struggling with "feelings of worthlessness and loss" following her mother's death, an inquest has heard. | |
Isabel Richardson's father Stephen found his daughter, from Norwich, hanging on 12 May. | Isabel Richardson's father Stephen found his daughter, from Norwich, hanging on 12 May. |
The inquest heard 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 were 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." |
Mr Richardson said in a statement, read out at the inquest in Norwich, that he became aware that his daughter was self-harming about five weeks before her death. | |
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. | 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. | 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." |