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One 14-year-old boy was found dead just days following being wrongly accused of taking the cremated remains of a dead infant during a break-in, an inquest has heard.

Heartbreaking Discovery

The young boy's mother and father found his remains in his room at his Connah's Quay home on November 19th, 2021.

False Accusations Start

The inquest learned how his parent got a message on 8 November 2021 via social media, from a individual asking if Kai was her offspring. The message stated: "Inform him thanks for breaking into my flat."

In a statement read to the court, the mother said the woman had been in the news, asserting her baby's ashes had been stolen in a burglary - a allegation which was false.

Law Enforcement Inquiry

An official inquiry from police later concluded the supposed break-in victim had "provided false information" and "it now appears that said items was never taken in the first place".

Media reports about the supposed stolen ashes generated online responses, and although the teenager was not identified in the messages, his mother said people "knew it was him".

The "online posts were really upsetting", she said.

Emotional Health Effect

She explained that her son had been diagnosed with moderate attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and as part of that disorder, other peoples' views really were important to him.

"This must have hurt him deeply," she said, "especially when this was untrue".

The teenager was arrested at home, but no evidence was discovered. He was transported to a police station and later freed pending further inquiry.

Police said they would be in contact, the inquest learned, but had not contacted the family by the time of his passing.

Withdrawal and Worry

His mother said Kai "withdrew into himself" after the arrest and "repeatedly inquired me whether I had heard anything from the authorities", because his condition meant sometimes "certain periods could feel like much longer".

When she talked to him about the supposed incident, she said her son told her he had gone into the residence because the resident who lived there had said he could use the toilet whenever he wanted, but refuted taking anything.

Digital Bullying

In a joint statement between her and her spouse, the mother said her child was being harassed online after the accusations.

The inquest heard that a 19-year-old encouraged the teenager to kill himself.

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

She described him as a "caring, affectionate" boy, and said her "relatives is totally devastated".

He had been "clearly hiding his concerns", she stated, noting that he could not bear to have anybody "have negative thoughts of him".

School Response

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

On November 8th, she "overheard some boys discussing that Kai had been arrested and that was the initial I learned".

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

After the discussion, the educator said she called Kai's parents' landline and left a voicemail saying she had communicated to the student about the accusations.

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

Formal Finding

Lead investigator told the inquest he would await documents regarding what enhancements had been made to dealing with suspects with ADHD, before determining whether he should make a prevention of subsequent deaths report.

Providing a narrative finding, he stated: "Approximately November 8th, 2021, unsubstantiated allegations were made against the teenager, a young child.

"Probably untruths were subsequently exaggerated and amplified through the platform of online networks.

"During November 11th, he was interviewed by the police and following his interview he was released while inquiries continued."

The coroner determined: "Exists no proof that the actions or omissions of any organization led to or added to his passing and although it was the result of a personal act it is impossible to determine his intent."