A troubled schoolboy who was said to be struggling to cope with his mum's death took his own life, an inquest heard.
Layth Ali Maumoniat was just 10-years-old when his mum, Kendra Theakston took her own life and, in the following months, was said to be struggling to deal with his emotions which led to problems at school. On April 27 this year, around 18 months after his mum's death, Layth, 12, was found dead at his home in Alwoodley, Leeds, in similar circumstances.
Layth had been living with his dad at the time. Senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin described the death of Layth as 'heartbreakingly tragic' and said there was some 'mirroring' in the circumstances in which mum and son had been found.
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Mr McLoughlin told the inquest in Wakefield: "A tragic feature is a parallel of how he was found and how his mother died." Layth died as a result of hanging, the inquest was told.
In a statement, a family member said that Layth had been receiving some counselling over the death of his mum. The family member claimed that, on April 27, Layth had been told that he had been 'expelled' from his school, Allerton High. The school disputed this, saying they had found him alternative provision.
The inquest was told that he had been in trouble for fighting and that his father, Ali, had received a call from the school on the evening of Layth's death. The family member said Layth had been "upset" and had said he hadn't done anything wrong but was "in the wrong place at the wrong time" and should not have been 'expelled'.
The family member claimed that there had been a "lack of support" for Layth from the school authorities over the death of his mum. Dr Folasade Rotimi, a paediatrician, said Layth's school was trying to support him and exploring whether he had any learning difficulties. She described Layth as a "very troubled 12-year-old boy" who was having problems due to a combination of factors including the loss of his mum and difficulties in expressing emotions.
The inquest heard that Layth's school had phoned his dad on April 27 to discuss 'alternative provision' for his son which the family was said to have viewed as the same as being 'expelled'. The coroner said the school had made arrangements for Layth to go to another school but had emphasised that he had not been 'expelled'.
Detective Sergeant Gemma Daley, of West Yorkshire Police, said Layth had sent a message to friends on the day of his death that showed suicidal intent. The officer said: "I think he was quite troubled and it was clear he loved his mum. He wanted to be with his mum." She said Layth always wore a necklace that had been made using his mum's ashes.
The coroner concluded that Layth had taken his own life. He said: "I found this to be a truly heartbreaking case. A 12-year-old boy had to go through the dreadfully distressing experience of losing his mother and then being sent back to live with his father after several years of separation in the family. It could not have been easy for the father or the (child)."
The coroner said Layth's difficult behaviour at school were "manifestations" of the distress he was feeling, "or frustration of trying to express the emotions of the loss of his mother." He said it was "an awful cocktail of turbulence in this child's life. I have heard evidence the school was trying to help."
The coroner said an incident was the "final straw" for the school which saw alternative provision being offered. "I understand now why the school says it is not expulsion (and was) simply trying to find something better to meet Layth's needs."
The coroner said Layth had expressed his intention to take his own life. He said Layth's family had clearly struggled with difficult circumstances for many years and they had his sympathy.
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