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Personal Snapshot

A teenage youth was found dead only a few days following being wrongly blamed of stealing the cremated remains of a dead infant during a break-in, a coroner's inquiry has heard.

Tragic Finding

The young boy's parents found his body in his bedroom at his Connah's Quay home on November 19th, 2021.

Untrue Accusations Start

The investigation heard how his parent got a message on November 8th, 2021 via social media, from a individual asking if Kai was her child. The message stated: "Inform him thanks for breaking into my apartment."

In a testimony read to the court, the mother said the woman had been in the news, claiming her baby's ashes had been stolen in a break-in - a allegation which was untrue.

Police Investigation

An official inquiry from authorities later determined the supposed burglary complainant had "provided false information" and "evidence shows that said items was not taken in the beginning".

News coverage about the supposed taken remains generated online comments, and although the teenager was not named in the posts, his mother said individuals "knew it was him".

The "social media content were extremely distressing", she said.

Emotional Health Effect

She added that her son had been diagnosed with moderate ADHD, and as part of that condition, other individuals' views really mattered to him.

"This must have affected him severely," she said, "particularly when this was untrue".

Kai was detained at home, but no evidence was discovered. He was transported to a law enforcement facility and later freed under investigation.

Police said they would be in touch, the inquest heard, but had not contacted the family by the time of his death.

Isolation and Worry

His mother said Kai "withdrew into himself" after the arrest and "repeatedly inquired me whether I had received anything from the authorities", because his condition meant sometimes "a minute could seem like much longer".

When she talked to him about the alleged incident, she said her child told her he had gone into the house because the resident who resided there had said he could use the bathroom whenever he wanted, but denied taking anything.

Digital Harassment

In a combined testimony between her and her husband, Mrs Lloyd said her child was being bullied online after the accusations.

The inquest learned that one 19-year-old encouraged the teenager to end his life.

She had no worries on the night before he died, explaining how she had heard him "laughing and teasing".

She described him as a "compassionate, loving" boy, and said her "family is completely devastated".

He had been "obviously hiding his worries", she stated, noting that he could not stand to have anyone "think bad of him".

Educational Response

The hearing heard from school staff at Connah's Quay High School.

On November 8th, she "overheard some students talking that Kai had been detained and that was the first I learned".

"He told me... he'd done nothing wrong," she added.

After the discussion, the educator said she called the family's parents' landline and provided a message saying she had communicated to Kai about the allegations.

The proceedings heard his family said they never receive that message.

Formal Finding

Lead investigator informed the inquest he would wait for documents regarding what enhancements had been made to handling individuals with ADHD, before deciding whether he should make a avoidance of subsequent deaths report.

Providing a descriptive finding, he said: "Around 8 November 2021, unsupported accusations were made against the teenager, a 14-year-old individual.

"Probably falsehoods were afterwards embellished and amplified through the platform of online networks.

"On 11 November, he was interviewed by the police and after his interview he was released while inquiries continued."

The coroner determined: "Exists no proof that the acts or failures of any agency led to or contributed to his death and although it was the result of a personal act it is impossible to discern his intent."