Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Oliver Clay

Girl, 14, found dead in park near her home after drinking with friends

A 14-year-old girl was found dead in a park after drinking with friends, an inquest has heard.

Maisy Lewis was found near her home in Sandymoor, Runcorn, in October 2017.

She was found beneath a climbing frame by two dog walkers, who first thought her lifeless body was a Guy Fawkes doll.

But on closer viewing one of the walkers realised it was a dead body and, concerned that a crime might have taken place, left her untouched and called the police.

Maisy was fully clothed and appeared to have been dead for some time, reports the Liverpool Echo .

Paramedics pronounced Maisy dead at 9.23am.

Maisy's body was found in a park close to her home (Runcorn Weekly News)

Brit student found dead on remote Canada beach after hitchhiking to beauty spot  

She appeared to have died between 12 and 14 hours before she was found. A note was written in ink on her arm.

Police who investigated found no sign of foul play or third-party involvement, which was backed by a search of her laptop history, although DC Edward Flaherty, of  Cheshire police 's public protection unit, said officers were still waiting for software to be delivered to unlock her phone.

The inquest heard that the last people to have seen Maisy were other young people who had been out with her the night before on October 14.

She had been drinking a bottle of wine and said she had a Coca Cola bottle with vodka in it.

One witness, who cannot be identified, said he saw Maisy walk to go home about three or five minutes from her house at around 8.30pm.

He had said "later Maisy" and she had replied "in a bit".

Police cordoned off an area close to the park (Runcorn Weekly News)

Girl, 12, died after taking tramadol she found on her gran's coffee table  

Her parents had become worried when she had not returned home by the usual time and Maisy's mum Kimberly Lewis had reported her missing to police at midnight.

Carl Lewis, her father, told the inquest he thought he had gone looking for her at about 9.45pm or 10.45pm, and was shouting for her but did not find her.

Tragically, his route took him past the park where Maisy was found the next day, but it was dark and he could not see inside, but as he was calling out there seemed no need to enter.

He said he had been "angry" at first because she had also been late coming home the night before due to filming the Mersey Gateway bridge fireworks.

Mrs Lewis said she and her daughter had been out shopping in the day on Saturday, October 14, and Maisy went out at about 4.30pm before popping home at 6.30pm before heading out again.

A bottle of wine was missing from the fridge.

A balloon with Maisy's name on it (Liverpool Echo)

Woman electrocuted after taking drugs at rave and falling onto live rail track  

Mrs Lewis said she was aware Maisy had complained of anxiety about going to school but it had seemed like a "one off".

On October 14, her daughter had seemed her "normal happy self", the inquest was told.

Mr Lewis said in his statement that Maisy was a "typical teenager" and on the day before she was found dead had been "her usual self" and "happy".

He said he thought an Alzheimers walk a week earlier had had a "significant impact" on Maisy due to the commemorative notes left by relatives in tribute to their lost loved ones.

She had lost two of her own grandparents just months apart.

Maisy had spent a day watching cartoons sat in bed on the Wednesday, which he thought showed "melancholy".

With regards to the bereavement, he said she was "quiet".

Neither parent was aware of any history of self-harm or intention to take her own life.

Although they had previously had to speak to her before about taking alcohol, it did not appear to be a problem or something she frequently did, the inquest was told.

Floral tributes were left at the scene (Liverpool Echo)

Woman, 40, has 'miracle' baby after suffering ten miscarriages and trying IVF  

Toxicology tests found Maisy's blood contained enough alcohol to "be expected to cause intoxication in a normal social drinker", but could be more pronounced in an inexperienced drinker, with possible effects including "exaggerated emotional response".

There were no illicit drugs or medicine in her system, the inquest was told.

The cause of death was deemed to be neck compression by hanging.

Emma Simpson, the then-principal of Sandymoor School where Maisy had attended said Maisy was well behaved and on target to achieve a Grade 5 or above in all of her GCSE subjects.

In addition, she had achieved the highest number of reward points in her year group.

However, Maisy had suffered anxiety and Miss Simpson said she sometimes had "low confidence and self-esteem", particularly around speaking up in class.

She was monitored with no further concerns but fell out with some female friends around the time of her birthday in July 2017 and began spending more time with male friends, the hearing was told.

Alan Moore, senior coroner for Cheshire, concluded that Maisy, who was born in  Warrington  in 2003, died from neck compression and hanging and that she intended to take her own life.

Alcohol might have been a "significant" factor in altering her mood, the inquest heard.

Police at the scene (Runcorn Weekly News)

Touching final text messages hairdresser sent to sister before she was found dead  

In his conclusion Mr Moore noted that Dr Medcalf had said the concentration "could well have influenced her state of mind and actions".

He said: "The forensic pathologist, he said the concentration of alcohol could well have influenced her state of mind and actions, and I would agree with that comment. It’s significant.

"Maisy was only 14 and a naive drinker and unused to alcohol.

"One can only imagine what effect that would have had on her thinking and subsequent actions that day.”

He added: "There was a thorough police investigation that concluded there was no third party involvement, no-one else involved, no evidence of an assault or foul play, and no suspicious circumstances surrounding Maisy's death, and that evidence is very important."

Mr Moore ended the hearing by offering his condolences to Maisy’s family.

If you need to speak to someone, Samaritans are available 24/7 by calling 116 123 or by emailingjo@samaritans.org 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.