Coroner finds teenage girl from Suffolk took her own life after struggles following Covid lockdowns
A "bubbly" 14-year-old girl who struggled with her school attendance after the Covid-19 pandemic took her own life, an inquest concluded.
A "bubbly" 14-year-old girl who struggled with her school attendance after the Covid-19 pandemic took her own life, an inquest concluded.
Erin Tillsley was "very bubbly, loved TikTok, doing her hair and dancing", her father Daniel Tillsley said in a statement read to Friday's hearing in Ipswich by the coroner.
But Mr Tillsley said that "things became really difficult after Covid-19 lockdowns - she didn't want to go back to school".
"I struggled to get her to attend," he said.
She moved schools in May 2023, but only attended her new school for four days between the start of the May half-term and her death on July 14 that year, Suffolk's area coroner Darren Stewart said.
Her father said that on the day of her death he had left their home in Great Cornard to go to work at 5.30am and he called Erin at 7am to see if she was up and ready for school.
He said that she sent a text message saying she "can't do this" and in a later call at 8.50am she said she was not going in.
He said he got a "really bad feeling" and returned home, finding her in her bedroom at 10.25am.
He called emergency services and paramedics arrived at 10.36am, but she was pronounced dead at 11.33am.
The coroner said Erin had "self-diagnosed as having suffered with anxiety and depression".
He said her family noted the "significant" impact the pandemic had on Erin, and that she "experienced difficulties being able to re-engage with school".
The coroner also referred to the break-up of her parents, body confidence issues and the suicide of a neighbour in 2022.
He said that on New Year's Eve in 2022, Erin took a number of her mother's prescription pills and was taken to the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.
He said the hospital treated it as an accidental overdose combined with alcohol and it did not trigger a referral to a psychiatric liaison team.
But he said concerns that a 14-year-old was drinking alcohol saw her GP asked to make a referral to social services.
The coroner said she was referred to the mental health trust, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, on January 4 2023 following a referral from her GP.
He said he was concerned about "delays" by the mental health trust and that he was awaiting further information from them.
Police found no evidence of third-party involvement in connection with Erin's death.
They also investigated whether Erin had been a victim of bullying following "social media messages accusing children of sending messages to Erin that she should kill herself", and this was ruled out.
Mr Stewart said Erin "struggled with her attendance" after the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, and that the reason for this had not been established.
"I find Erin took her own life," he said, recording her medical cause of death as by a ligature around her neck.
He expressed his condolences to her family, who did not attend the hearing.
He said he would make a decision on whether a report to prevent future deaths was required after hearing more from the mental health trust and from West Suffolk Hospital.