Boy, 13, commits suicide after parents confiscated mobile phone

A 13-year-old boy hanged himself from his bunk bed after his mobile phone was confiscated by his parents. Declan Gatenby was told to hand over the device - said to be virtually “glued to his hand” - as punishment for getting into trouble at school.

But on day six of a seven day confiscation he asked for his phone back only to become upset when his 31-year-old father Wayne told him he had to wait until the following day.
The youngster ran up to his bedroom and was later found hanged from a belt by his nine year old brother Jordan.
In a statement, Wayne, from Stacksteads, in Rossendale, 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.”
On the day of the tragedy on July 7, mum Donna left for work as a kitchen assistant at a care home at 11.30am and Warren was at home with the two boys.
The father added: “At 5.30pm Declan asked if he could have his phone back but he was due to get it back on the Monday, the day after.
"He got up and left the room.
“I heard the front door to the house open and close and presumed he had simply gone out. I thought he accepted it and made his way outside.
“There was nothing days or hours beforehand that made me think for even one minute that anything was wrong.
“I still find it so difficult to believe. There were no signs he was depressed or wanting to hurt himself in any way.”
When Jordan later went to the room he shared with Declan and found his body, Mr Gatenby ran upstairs and vainly tried to revive his eldest son.
Ambulance staff arrived minutes later but could do nothing for him.
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.”
Declan’s family were too upset to comment after the hearing.


Culled from The Mirror