Family believe bullying was factor in teenager's death

A 14-year-old Kidderminster girl who was being bullied took her own life by overdosing on anti-depressants, an inquest heard.

Worcestershire Coroner's Court was told that the family of King Charles I High School pupil, Amy Tipton, believed she was being bullied.

The aspiring dancer had been refusing to attend school and had a conversation with her mother, Christine, about it on the day she died, September 27, last year.

"Mrs Tipton said she (Amy) would not attend until she knew who was in her class," Mr Round said, adding the school had agreed she could return on an afternoon basis.

"This discussion must have appeared to Amy to have upset mother because Amy apologised to her before retiring to her bedroom."

Around six hours later, at about 5.10pm, the teenager, of Linnet Rise, was found with blue lips and a pale complexion and was confirmed dead on arrival at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Her mother had checked on her just two hours earlier, at 3.15pm, and heard her snoring.

Mr Round said a note - dated the day she died - had been recovered by one of Amy's two half-sisters, and appeared to be Amy's last written note.

"It is clearly a letter saying an affectionate goodbye to family and friends", he said.

The coroner added he was relying on a large number of documents the teenager had left behind, including diaries, but refused to read them out in public to protect her privacy.

Explaining it was not his job to find out what had been upsetting the teenager, but to decide whether she intended to end her life, Mr Round said: "I'm perfectly aware that the family take the view that some part of this was bullying that she was suffering and I'm not trying to hide that in any way."

He added Amy had attended King Charles I High School in Kidderminster until she "started to have problems there", which were first noticed in September, 2003.

From this date onwards, he said the intelligent and articulate teenager "indicated she was unpopular at school, did not have many good friends and was unhappy about various matters".

He said a police report said the family felt she was being bullied and this matter had been investigated by the police.

"I'm trying not to go into every 'she said' because I don't think she wrote it for publication," he added.

"She felt she was being bullied - that's what it comes to."

A post mortem revealed lethal levels of the anti-depressant dothiepin, which had been prescribed for Amy by her GP, and a normal dose of another anti-depressant, fluoxetine.

Mr Round said the cause of death was dothiepin poisoning, and added: "I'm not going to go into the reasons why she felt like this - although I get a pretty good idea from her notes.

"I would have to return a verdict that she took her own life."

Headteacher speaks of talented pupil

THE headteacher of King Charles I High School responded to the findings of Amy Tipton's inquest by saying the conclusion she had taken her own life added to "the sadness already felt by the school's governors, staff, pupils and friends".

Tim Gulliver added: "Our thoughts continue to be with Amy's family at this difficult time.

"As I stated in September, she was a beautiful and talented daughter who had a bright future ahead of her.

"Fond memories of Amy will forever remain with her family, close friends and colleagues who taught her."

He said he was unable to comment further - including on the subject of bullying - until he had had an opportunity to read and digest the coroner's key findings.

At the inquest, West Mercia Constabulary family liaison officer, PC Rich Drewett, said Amy's family did not wish to comment and requested everyone respected their wish for privacy.

Shortly after Amy's death, last September, her parents, Ivan and Christine, described their daughter as "a beautiful, sensitive child, who was loved adoringly by all who knew her" in a statement issued by the police. They added she was a high achiever at school and an aspiring dancer.

Mr Gulliver said the teenager's untimely death had devastated staff, pupils and governors at King Charles I.