A TEENAGER hanged himself days after fleeing Brighton when he received death threats for naming suspects in a burglary, an inquest heard
Kyle Birchall made the decision to leave a foster family and relocate more than 100 miles away to be closer to his father, who he had never met, after being threatened on Facebook.
The 17-year-old had sent a message on social media to name and shame the people he thought were responsible for robbing his foster parents’ home in the city, his inquest heard.
Having done so, he told social workers in Brighton that he feared for his life after receiving messages in return and said the only option open to him was to move to be with his biological father Rick Markham in Bedfordshire, despite never having met him.
Mr Markham agreed to help look after his son, but Kyle ended up staying with a neighbour because there was no room for him at his house.
Having worked with his father on his first day away from Sussex, he was due to do the same again three days later, but was found hanged from a stairwell after deciding not to work on December 1.
He was taken to hospital after resuming breathing, having been being cut down.
But his life support was switched off on December 3 after doctors described his chance of survival as minute.
The coroner presiding over the inquest said that there had been "a complete lack of preparation" ahead of Kyle's move to be near his father on November 27 last year.
Mr Markham said it appeared his son had dictated to social services where he should live, rather than the authorities telling him what was best for him.
Mr Markham told the inquest: "How is it that a young man can almost orchestrate [and say] this is what's happening, when there are professional bodies there to safeguard him?
“It should be that he's told what's happening, rather than he tells them what's happening. It's madness, really.”
The inquest heard that motorcycle enthusiast Kyle - who had aspirations of joining the Royal Air Force - had never shown any suicidal thoughts or an indication he may end his life despite his many personal problems.
Tom Osborne said: "In simple terms, there is insufficient evidence for me to conclude either way it was an accident or if it was suicide. I am going to return an open conclusion."
He said he was not satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that Kyle had intended to kill himself as no suicide note was ever found.
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