Coroner to take up extraordinary matter of youths death, inquest hears
An inquest in Alton, Hampshire, on Wednesday heard how academically promising 15-year-old Sam Belcher had thrown himself in front of a car after being placed to the back of the care queue again by mental health services.
North Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley vowed to take up the “extraordinary” matter with the health authorities.
The hearing was told how Sam, who lived in Bowmonts Road, and attended The Hurst Community College, Baughurst, had attempted to take his life several times before.
Motorist Shannon McGarrigie, who was 18 at the time of the incident on December 21 last year, said that she was driving her Ford Ka along Silchester Road, Pamber Heath, when she spotted a youth wearing ear-muff type headphones jogging along the pavement.
She said: “He kept turning and looking at me and when I was two metres away he ran out in front of my car, with his arms out like Superman.”
Ms McGarrigie said that she alerted the emergency services then ran back and comforted the dying youth.
She added: “I kept saying ‘Can you hear me?’ His eyes would open and close.”
The inquest also heard that Miss McGarrigle was driving within the 30mph speed limit in the area and that her car had no defects.
A post mortem examination revealed that Sam had died from head injuries.
The headteacher of The Hurst school, Malcolm Chris-tian, said that Sam was above average academically, and “pleasant and friendly”, although recently his attendance had slipped.
He added: “On June 1, 2012, I received a call from his mother Claire about Sam describing trying to kill himself by jumping in front of a car.
“It may seem that he carried out what he thought and jumped in front of a car. It hasn’t surprised me, but I’m deeply saddened.”
Clinical psychologist Dr Suzanne Gray said that, after Sam had been referred to her by his GP he had responded well to therapy and was discharged in October.
However, when he was referred again on November 21 last year, he was placed on a waiting list as a new referral.
Ruling that Sam had taken his own life, Mr Bradley said: “When the cry for help goes out, he’s put back to the beginning of the queue – I find that extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary.
“I will be taking the matter up with the health service and seeing if we can achieve anything else in this cock-eyed system.”