London - A talented grammar school pupil committed suicide after she was “broken” by bullies, her mother said.
Lauren Johnson, 17, dreamt of becoming a vet or a clinical psychologist, but developed mental health problems after being bullied around the age of 14, an inquest into her death heard.
She kept the bullying a secret and it was only revealed much later after she was admitted to hospital for her worsening mental health.
Lauren took her own life in June by jumping from a six-storey shopping centre car park in Accrington, Lancashire.
After an inquest which concluded her daughter committed suicide, Lauren’s mother Dawn said: “She was badly bullied and never told us. That’s what broke her really.”
Johnson, a mental health nurse, added: “The bullying was a significant factor in Lauren’s mental illness – prior to that she had a normal childhood, normal upbringing.
“The experts said she was systematically and horrendously abused by bullying but she internalised it. In my view without the bullying she would not have developed mental health issues and she would not have died.”
The grieving mother said Lauren’s school did not know about the bullying because she “just absorbed it”. Lauren had been studying for A Levels in maths, chemistry, human biology and psychology at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.
The inquest at Accrington Town Hall heard Lauren, from Oswaldtwistle, developed a social anxiety disorder in 2011 and then showed signs of psychosis. She was diagnosed with a personality disorder and hospitalised for attempts to take her life. A week and a half before her death she was discharged from hospital and seemed “much the same” but was “unpredictable”, her mother told the inquest.
On the day of her death, Lauren had been due to attend an interview for volunteer work at a local hospital, but instead went to the Arndale Shopping Centre, where police spent half an hour trying to talk her down.
Police Constable Graham Walsh told the hearing: “She said: ‘I have done talking. I have nothing left to talk about.’ It was impossible to try to grab her.”
Lauren’s mental health worker Carla Nightingale said: “Lauren had the intelligence to be able to work out what people wanted her to say.”
Coroner Michael Nightingale recorded a conclusion of suicide. A charity called Lauren’s Place has been set up in her memory to help young people with mental health problems.
Lauren’s headteacher Alan Porteous said the school treats allegations of bullying “extremely seriously”.
He said its “utmost priority” is its pupils’ safety and happiness and urged anyone who feels compromised to tell a member of school staff who they trust.
Daily Mail