British teenager commits suicide after being falsely accused of stealing the ashes of a dead child
Kai Lloyd, 14, from Flintshire, committed suicide after being falsely accused of stealing the remains of a dead child. The fake accusations quickly went viral on social media and the boy was mocked online.
For Kai, who suffered from a mild form of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), other people’s opinions mattered a lot.
The pressure proved unbearable: on 19 November 2021, his parents found his body in the bedroom of their own home.
Fake accusations and cyberbullying
On 8 November, Kai’s mother received a message on social media from a woman named Chloe Robinson: “Thank him for burglarising my flat.”
Chloe left and was released pending an investigation.
The mother noted that after the arrest, Kai withdrew into himself and constantly worried that the police had not been called.
The boy explained that he had actually gone into Chloe Robinson’s flat because the landlady had allowed him to use the toilet, but had not taken anything.
The family added that Kai had been harassed online, with one 19-year-old boy even texting him to “end his life”.
Despite this, on the eve of the tragedy, the mother heard Kai laughing and joking. According to her, he was a caring and loving guy who couldn’t stand the idea that someone might think he was bad.
The school’s response and the court hearing
The rumour of Kai’s tragedy spread not only on social media, but also at the school.
A court hearing was initiated at which Susan Messem, the guidance coordinator, testified. On 8 November, she accidentally North Wales Police Forge reports on interventions for teenagers with CSD before deciding whether to produce a separate report on preventing such tragedies.
In his report, the coroner said:
“Around 8 November 2021, unfounded allegations were made against 14-year-old Kai Lloyd. Fake information was then actively circulated on social media, he was interviewed by police on 11 November and then released, the investigation continued.”
Gittins concluded:
“There is no evidence that the actions or inactions of any authorities caused or contributed to his death. It was a suicide, but Kai’s exact intentions cannot be determined.”