🔗 Share this article

Relative's Picture

A teenage boy was found dead just days following being falsely accused of taking the ashes of a dead infant during a burglary, a coroner's inquiry has learned.

Heartbreaking Discovery

The young boy's mother and father found his remains in his room at his Flintshire home on November 19th, 2021.

Untrue Allegations Start

The investigation heard how his parent got a message on November 8th, 2021 via online platforms, from a individual asking if her son was her child. The communication stated: "Inform him appreciation for burgling my apartment."

In a testimony read to the court, the mother said the individual had been in the media, claiming her infant's ashes had been taken in a burglary - a allegation which was untrue.

Law Enforcement Investigation

An official inquiry from police later concluded the supposed burglary victim had "provided false information" and "evidence shows that the items was never taken in the first place".

Media reports about the supposed taken remains attracted social media comments, and although Kai was not named in the posts, his parent said individuals "understood it was him".

The "online posts were extremely upsetting", she stated.

Emotional Wellbeing Impact

She added that Kai had been diagnosed with mild ADHD, and as part of that condition, other peoples' opinions really mattered to him.

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

The teenager was arrested at his residence, but no evidence was found. He was transported to a police station and later freed under investigation.

Police said they would be in touch, the inquest heard, but had failed to reached out to the relatives by the time of his passing.

Withdrawal and Anxiety

His parent said Kai "became isolated" after the detention and "would keep asking me whether I had heard anything from the authorities", because his condition meant sometimes "a minute could feel like days".

When she spoke to him about the supposed burglary, she said her son informed her he had gone into the house because the woman who lived there had said he could utilize the toilet anytime he needed, but refuted taking anything.

Digital Bullying

In a joint statement between her and her spouse, the mother said her child was being bullied online after the accusations.

The proceedings learned that a young adult urged the teenager to end his life.

She had no worries on the night before he died, explaining how she had listened to him "laughing and joking".

She portrayed him as a "caring, loving" young man, and said her "family is totally shattered".

He had been "clearly concealing his concerns", she said, adding that he could not bear to have anybody "have negative thoughts of him".

Educational Response

The inquest heard from school staff at the local secondary school.

On 8 November, she "overheard some boys talking that Kai had been arrested and that was the initial I heard".

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

After the conversation, the educator said she called the family's family landline and left a voicemail saying she had communicated to the student about the allegations.

The court heard his family said they never got that message.

Official Finding

Senior coroner told the hearing he would wait for reports regarding what enhancements had been made to handling individuals with the condition, before deciding whether he should make a prevention of subsequent fatalities report.

Providing a descriptive finding, he said: "Approximately November 8th, 2021, unsupported accusations were made against Kai Benjamin Lloyd, a 14-year-old individual.

"Probably falsehoods were subsequently exaggerated and exaggerated through the platform of online networks.

"On November 11th, he was questioned by the police and after his interview he was released whilst investigations proceeded."

The coroner concluded: "Exists no proof that the acts or failures of any agency led to or added to his passing and although it was the outcome of a personal act it is not possible to determine his purpose."