Boy, 13, Hanged Himself From His Bunk Bed

Boy, 13, Hanged Himself From His Bunk Bed

A teenager hanged himself from his bunk bed after his mobile phone was confiscated by his parents.

Declan Gatenby, 13, was told to hand over the device - said to be virtually 'glued to his hand' - as punishment for getting into trouble at school.

He was deprived of the phone for six days before he asked for it back. His dad Wayne, 31, said he would return it the following day, which upset Declan, who ran up to his bedroom.

He was later found hanged from a belt by his nine-year-old brother Jordan.

In a statement, Wayne, from Stacksteads, in Rossendale, Lancashire, told an inquest in Burnley: "He was a typical teenage lad. He pushed the boundaries as may be expected and got into trouble at school on a few occasions – but nothing terribly serious.

"We had no problems with him, nothing gave us huge cause for concern."

Recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner Richard Taylor told the family: "I'm sorry you have had to relive this today but we have to do it to make it as straightforward for you without ignoring the importance of an inquest.

"I cannot imagine what you have had to go through over these last few months, my sympathies are with you all.

"I cannot believe committing suicide is what he wanted to do. He was a happy-go-lucky teenager showing no signs of ever considering something like this.

"I feel the appropriate conclusion I should draw is one of misadventure.

"It is the unexpected outcome of a deliberate action, yes he has done something, but I do not believe for one moment that he actually intended to end his life."

Close