Inquest Hears Teen's Overdose May Have Been a 'Cry for Help'
A 14-year-old girl from Kent died after taking an overdose of prescription medication, leaving a note on her iPhone expressing her fear. Leah Bishop, from Lydd-on-Sea, was found dead in her bedroom on November 4 last year. A two-day inquest at Oakwood House in Maidstone heard that her death may have been a desperate cry for help.
A Creative Spirit Struggling with School
The inquest, conducted by coroner Ian Brownhill, examined evidence detailing Leah's state of mind. She had been battling mental health issues and felt profoundly "anxious, isolated and alone" while attending the Marsh Academy in New Romney. Her attendance dwindled, and she was eventually withdrawn to be home-schooled.
Her mother, Tracy Guile, told the hearing that Leah "absolutely hated" secondary school, where she was bullied. "I tried all I could to get her to go but I couldn't," Ms Guile said. "She felt isolated, anxious, alone." Despite these challenges, Leah was remembered as a "truly remarkable young girl".
Detective Sergeant Rachel King, from the Kent Police child protection team, described notes found on Leah's iPhone which functioned like a diary. In them, Leah had written "I’ve done something bad. I’m scared" to her best friend. DS King expressed uncertainty over Leah's intent, stating, "I wasn’t ever sure she intended to die, or if she hoped she’d be able to get some help." Leah had written that she expected to be 'waking up in hospital'.
A Life Remembered with Love and Kindness
Paying a moving tribute, Leah's mother described her daughter as being "full of creativity, love, and kindness". "From a young age, Leah showed an incredible talent for art. Her drawings amazed everyone who saw them," Ms Guile said. She added that Leah had a passion for anime, music, and skateboarding, and "excelled at anything she set her mind to".
"She had a wonderful sense of humour and the most vibrant personality, brightening every room she entered," her mother continued. "Her kindness and generosity touched everyone who knew her. Leah was the heart of her friendship group... Her memory lives on in the art she created, the laughter she shared, and the love she left behind."
The inquest also revealed that Leah had been discharged from North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) services in February 2024. Kent County Council (KCC) was not fully aware of the extent of her mental health struggles before her death, though the coroner stated that more assistance would not have likely prevented the tragedy.
Concluding the inquest, Coroner Brownhill ruled the death a suicide, finding that Leah had "surreptitiously" taken medication from other family members and consumed it with the "intention of bringing her life to an end". He urged the family to remember "the good things about Leah, her creativity, her brightness".
Shaun Simmons, principal of Marsh Academy, said the school community remained "deeply saddened" and remembered Leah as a student who "had a close circle of friends and enjoyed her time in school with them. She particularly enjoyed art as a subject."
