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Boy, 13, found hanged at home after discovering girl he had secret crush on had a boyfriend

A TEENAGE boy was found hanged at home after discovering that his secret crush had a boyfriend, an inquest heard today.

Harry Storey, 13, told pals on WhatsApp he had thought about suicide after making the discovery, but they thought he was joking.

 Harry Storey was found hanged by his dad in March at their home
Harry Storey was found hanged by his dad in March at their homeCredit: INS News

Detective Sergeant Lou Heffernan-Glover told the inquest: "We searched Harry’s room to provide an explanation, we seized his laptop and some planners but there were no notes.

"We spoke to Harry’s friends. They said they had worries about him talking about suicide but he was sarcastic and they did not think he meant it.

"They said he had been noticeably stressed after he had not done well in a few school tests.

"In a series of WhatsApp messages to his friends it was said a close friend he had a crush on told him she had a boyfriend, he spoke about suicide then but after that he carried on talking normally."

Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter also heard the youngster had watched a TV show where an actor had hanged herself, before the teen was found at home.

Harry's dad, Andrew Storey, walked into their house in Chilton, near Didcot, Oxon., and thought his son was looking at his phone, before realising what had happened.

Mr Storey told the court he started CPR on the all-boys St Birinus School pupil, shouting for help from his wife when she came home.


He said: "Harry was a charismatic, caring boy and sport was a huge part of his life, playing rugby, cricket and tennis.

"He would talk to anyone with ease and he had a natural ability to strike up a conversation which I admired him for.

"He seemed to us to be just a normal teenager but he did have high expectations of himself. It came as a complete shock to me."

The Year Nine boy's death stunned his devastated family who said they never had any worries about him and regarded him as a regular, happy boy with no previous mental health issues.

The inquest in Oxford heard that Harry had plans for the next three weekends.

Det. Sgt. Heffernan-Glover confirmed said she didn't think his death was intentional.

Harry was rushed to hospital on March 1 after he was discovered by his dad, but tragically died three days later.

His family wrote a moving obituary for their local paper The Herald: "[Harry] Passed away unexpectedly on the 4th March 2019, aged 13 years.

"A much loved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend. Our beautiful boy will be forever in our thoughts."

Pathologist Dr Deirdre O’Shea confirmed his cause of death was hypoxic ischemic brain injury due to asphyxiation by suspension.

Mr Salter concluded the inquest with a verdict of misadventure, saying: "Harry did the action himself and had made comments about suicide. However teenagers do say things of that nature.

"There is an element of speculation but it seems to me that Harry did not intend it to be fatal. Therefore the conclusion is one of misadventure.

"Misadventure is similar to an accident, it is the deliberate undertaking of a risk that goes wrong causing death."

 Harry was a Year Nine pupil at St Birinus School
Harry was a Year Nine pupil at St Birinus School

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans on (free) 116123