Teenager Discovered Deceased Following False Accusations of Taking Cremated Remains

Personal Snapshot
The teenager's mother and father found his remains in his bedroom in November 2021

One 14-year-old youth was discovered deceased just days after being wrongly accused of stealing the ashes of a dead baby during a break-in, a coroner's inquiry has learned.

Heartbreaking Finding

The young boy's parents found his remains in his room at his Flintshire residence on 19 November 2021.

False Allegations Start

The inquest learned how his mother got a message on 8 November 2021 via online platforms, from a individual asking if Kai was her child. The communication stated: "Tell him appreciation for breaking into my flat."

In a statement read to the court, Lisa Lloyd said the individual had been in the media, asserting her baby's ashes had been stolen in a break-in - a allegation which was false.

Law Enforcement Inquiry

An investigation report from authorities later concluded the supposed burglary victim had "lied to police" and "evidence shows that said items was never taken in the beginning".

Media reports about the supposed taken remains attracted social media responses, and although the teenager was not named in the posts, his mother said people "understood it was him".

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

Emotional Health Effect

She added that her son had been identified with moderate attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and as part of that condition, other peoples' opinions genuinely were important to him.

"This must have hurt him deeply," she said, "particularly when this was not true".

Kai was arrested at home, but nothing was discovered. He was transported to a police station and later released pending further inquiry.

Police said they would be in contact, the hearing heard, but had not reached out to the family by the time of his death.

Isolation and Anxiety

His mother said her son "withdrew into himself" after the arrest and "repeatedly inquired me whether I had received anything from the police", because his ADHD meant sometimes "a minute could feel like much longer".

When she spoke to him about the alleged burglary, she said her child informed her he had gone into the residence because the resident who resided there had said he could utilize the toilet whenever he needed, but denied removing anything.

Digital Bullying

In a combined testimony between her and her spouse, the mother said her son was being harassed digitally after the allegations.

The inquest heard that one 19-year-old urged Kai to kill himself.

She had no worries on the night before he died, describing how she had heard him "chuckling and teasing".

She described him as a "caring, loving" young man, and said her "relatives is completely devastated".

He had been "obviously hiding his worries", she said, adding that he could not stand to have anyone "have negative thoughts of him".

School Response

The inquest received testimony from educational staff at Connah's Quay secondary school.

On 8 November, she "heard some students talking that Kai had been detained and that was the initial I heard".

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

After the conversation, the educator said she called Kai's parents' telephone and provided a voicemail saying she had spoken to Kai about the allegations.

The court learned his family said they never got that communication.

Official Conclusion

Senior coroner informed the hearing he would wait for reports regarding what enhancements had been made to handling individuals with the condition, before determining whether he should make a avoidance of subsequent deaths report.

Providing a narrative conclusion, he stated: "Approximately November 8th, 2021, unsubstantiated accusations were made against Kai Benjamin Lloyd, a young child.

"Likely falsehoods were afterwards exaggerated and amplified through the medium of social media.

"On 11 November, he was questioned by the authorities and after his interview he was freed whilst investigations proceeded."

The coroner determined: "There is no proof that the actions or omissions of any organization caused or contributed to his passing and although it was the result of a self-inflicted action it is not possible to discern his intent."

Kevin Watson
Kevin Watson

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