Schoolgirl did not kill herself due to cyber-bullying, coroner rules

A schoolgirl who was discovered dead at home did not kill herself due to cyber-bullying, a coroner has ruled.

Megan Evans, 14, faced online taunts such as 'go kill yourself' and a Facebook group called 'I hate Megan Evans' was set up, an inquest had heard.

Megan's mother told the hearing in Haverfordwest in Wales she had found, after the schoolgirl's death, other online pages abusing her.

But coroner Paul Bennett has now suggested that other personal factors were involved in Megan's suicide rather than pinning the blame on online harassment.

He said the 'key issue upsetting Megan' was her boyfriend's alleged relationship with another girl and also said she was 'troubled' by her father's illness.

Mr Bennett said at the end of the inquest in Pembrokeshire that phrases such as 'go kill yourself' were in 'regular use' online, and added that children and young people had 'different perceptions of bullying'.

He said that particular phrase could be perceived in different ways, telling the court: 'What may be bullying to one could be banter to another.'

Mr Bennett said he had studied evidence from Dyfed-Powys Police’s digital crime investigation unit which had found 'no evidence of targeted abuse or bullying directed at Megan'.

As he recorded a verdict of suicide, he said of Megan taking her own life: 'The decision to do so was not influenced by bullying or, per se, by social media.'

Megan's mother Nicola Harteveld and friends had told the inquest how she was unhappy at Milford Haven School in Pembrokeshire because of online bullying and feeling she was being 'persecuted' by staff there.

But Mr Bennett said: 'She was troubled by concerns over her father's illness and there were arguments with other children over suggestions that her boyfriend was behaving badly.

'It is, however, impossible to be certain what drove her to take the steps she did. I am equally satisfied that the steps she took were not related to bullying or a failure to prevent such bullying.'

The inquest heard that a photo of Megan 'smoking' had also been posted on social media, which resulted in fellow pupils calling her names at school. 

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The hearing was told that Megan was told to 'kill herself' and had been sent a picture message saying 'die' on social media. 

Hate groups were set up before they were reported to the school and taken down, the court was told - including one called 'I hate Megan Evans'.

Mr Bennett did not find grounds to support the family's claims that the school had done nothing to combat bullying before her death in February 2017 and said the school had a range of safeguarding and anti-bullying policies.

He said: 'Pupils knew what route they could take should bullying arise. That does not mean that pupils did avail themselves of those options.'

On the night Megan took her own life, her parents were out and she was at home with three of her siblings.

She did not leave a suicide note but the coroner said the fact she was in a room rarely used by her family and had barricaded the door suggested that she did not want to be interrupted or found quickly.

Megan was described as a talented artist and hockey player who had been looking forward to attending a Justin Bieber concert.

In the years following Megan's  death, her mother has worked to raise awareness of mental health and the dangers of social media bullying.

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She has since founded Megan's Starr Foundation which provides free counseling and peer support to young people in Pembrokeshire. 

Following his conclusion of suicide, Mr Bennett expressed his condolences to Megan's family and apologised for the delays in investigating the tragic loss.

Megan's mother had told the inquest how she found more bullying groups online when logging into the schoolgirl's Snapchat and Facebook accounts after her death.

Fellow pupil Chloe Boswell, now 22, also told the inquest that Megan did not want to go to the school because the teachers 'were horrible to her'.

She explained that one teacher who was responsible for behaviour management would 'pick away at her' for her school uniform and claimed pupils couldn't speak to teachers about any bullying issues.

Chloe told the hearing that she was aware that Megan had previously self-harmed and had trouble with other pupils in the school.

Malcolm Duthie, representing the education authority at Pembrokeshire Council, said that when friends were asked if they believed Megan was being bullied 'all of them said no'.

He said she might have been upset by an argument with another pupil and concern for her father's health. 

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Mr Duthie added it would be hard for the school to get any evidence of bullying as most of it took place on Snapchat - where messages disappear after 24 hours.

The inquest also heard that Megan was having 'outbursts' in class in the weeks leading up to her death, although her mother was never made aware of the problem by the school. 

Megan had attended a school meeting on February 7 2017 about a trip to France and appeared in good spirits, the court was told.

Later that evening, her parents left the family home in Milford Haven for a night in Cardiff with her four youngest siblings, while the four older siblings - including Megan - stayed at home.

At about 10pm her brother rang their parents after he was unable to find her in the house, before he kept searching and discovered Megan locked in an upstairs bathroom.

Despite the efforts of her family, paramedics, and hospital staff, Megan could not be saved.

A statement from her family described Megan as an intelligent, kind and vibrant teenager, adding: 'She had a big heart and would do anything to help anyone.

'She bought love and laughter into our home and was always full of energy. Her friends adored her, and she always stood up for what she believed in.'

For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support.