A 14-year-old girl died in Cornwall despite support from mental health services after her father’s death.
An inquest into Lily’s death occurred in Truro on February 17. Lily was “hit hard” by her father’s death when she was just 11 years old. Dr. Cockcroft noted that Lily had suicidal thoughts in February 2023, after the anniversary of her father’s death.
Dr. Cockcroft also mentioned Lily overdosed twice and struggled with sleep and nightmares. She was referred to MARRS, a service supporting young people in crisis, and received support for ten months. CAMHS then took over her care in January 2024.
Lily’s mother, Charlotte, stated that Lily had a good childhood and excelled in primary school. However, later on, Lily didn’t want to attend school and became “disruptive” by Year 9. Charlotte also shared that Lily started self-harming around 2022. The school created a safety plan for her, but her behavior worsened, and she started missing school often.
On February 8, 2024, Lily was suspended from school. She stayed with her grandparents near Looe while her mother and stepfather worked, unable to be home with her during the day.
Charlotte texted Lily the week before her death, and their conversations were positive. Lily seemed happy and did not appear worried at all.
Lily’s grandmother, Sarah, described her as someone who loved surfing and animals. According to her grandmother, Lily seemed happy with her grandparents and looked forward to starting at a new school. Sarah said Lily had “a bit of a spark.” Lily’s grandfather, Percy, was shocked, stating that Lily seemed in “good spirits” and that her death was “completely unexpected.”
A young girl, who cannot be named legally, met Lily in 2022 up north while Lily was visiting a family friend. The girl and Lily “clicked” well together, and they became good friends quickly. After Lily went home, they stayed in touch, messaging and calling each other.
They were in a relationship from February to late 2023, which ended because the girl’s mom thought it was “getting heavy.” In November 2023, Lily called the girl, stating that she missed her dad and wanted to be with him. The girl informed her mom, who then told Lily’s mom.
After that, they talked less. On the day of Lily’s death, they spoke, and the girl suggested they stop talking because they weren’t as close and the distance was too hard. Lily agreed and seemed okay with it.
Anthony Toland shared MARRS provided Lily with support. She received a social worker and assistance with anger management from February to December 2023, which was longer than usual. Lily found the anger management helpful, and CAMHS took over after MARRS.
Sophie Howells, who worked with CAMHS, confirmed the handover from MARRS. She saw Lily four times from late January to February 22, building a good connection with her.
Lily showed signs of low mood and PTSD symptoms, with nightmares related to her father’s death. Lily was on a trauma pathway even though her condition stayed fairly consistent. Sophie found her pleasant and thoughtful and saw no cause for alarm during their last session, stating that Lily denied suicidal thoughts or self-harm.
The coroner mentioned and praised the excellent and thorough support Lily received. He confirmed that staff shortages were not a problem.
The coroner concluded the inquest, noting the “good interaction” with services and that Lily was gaining trust with Sophie. He indicated their relationship was progressing well and Lily’s actions seemed unexpected. The coroner accepted police evidence that no one else caused Lily’s death and ruled it a suicide, stating that she intentionally took her own life.