‘Bullied’ schoolgirl who killed herself was NOT driven to suicide by name-calling
The reason Morgan Dodd, who tragically killed herself in November last year days after her 15th birthday, took her life may never be known by her grieving family
A SCHOOLGIRL ended her own life was not bullied to the point of suicide, an inquest heard.
Morgan Dodds tragically killed herself in November last year just days after her 15th birthday.
It had been suggested she was the victim of bullying but police said the name calling, fighting and arguments Morgan faced was just “kids being kids” as a coroner agreed the issues were fairly typical of teenage girls’ behaviour.
The seemingly “happy and healthy” schoolgirl from Ryton, Gateshead, committed suicide just three days after her 15th birthday.
Morgan was found dead at Path Head Quarry on November 6 last year by a dog walker.
The inquest heard she left a suicide note in her exercise book which was found near to her body.
The Thorp Academy pupil appeared to be a happy girl, Detective Sergeant Gillian Beecroft said during the hearing at Newcastle’s Civic Centre.
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She said: “In general it appears she had a tight group of friends. She was doing well at school, her grades were good but it does appear that she had some issues with some people.”
Previously her grieving mum Mary, 44, had said: “We will never know the full reasons behind Morgan’s death, but the consensus is that bullying has to have been an element of it.
“Morgan was bullied for a few different reasons, she was very pretty and very talented, so I think some of it might have been jealously.
“Kids can be cruel, I know that, the issue with Morgan was that she hid it so well.”
Cops investigated concerns that Morgan was being bullied in the lead up to her death, but found no evidence to support any prosecutions.
Det Sgt Beecroft added: “There was nothing to suggest bullying, no; not really. Just fallings out.
“It’s just kids being kids.”
Coroner Karen Dilks commented that the behaviour was “fairly usual of teenagers, teenage girls in particular; falling out and nastiness and making friends”.
The inquest heard that problems with a bully had been raised with the school a year before Morgan’s death.
But her mum said that issue had been resolved after the girls had a physical fight last summer, which she says tragic Morgan won.
DS Beecroft said the 15-year-old was sometimes called names because of the birth mark on her neck.
“Children in school would comment on it, they were childish comments but they were very upsetting for Morgan.
“She was possibly a bit of an easy target which I am sure would have been upsetting.”
Morgan’s parents told the inquest she had recently celebrated her birthday and had been to see One Direction before having a sleepover party in the week before her death.
The artistic teen was interested in performing arts and attended the Pauline Quirke Academy, it was said.
DS Beecroft added: “We don’t believe anyone else involved ever intended for Morgan to do this, we didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute anyone for being involved.
“She had fallen out with various people, she was upset by these things. On the face of it she appeared happy but maybe wasn’t coping as well as people thought.”
Mrs Dodds told the court her daughter had always been open and spoken to her about her “teenage dramas”.
Recording a conclusion of suicide, Ms Dilks said she was satisfied that Morgan intended to take her own life and offered Morgan’s family her condolences over the “tragic loss of such a young girl”.
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