Boy, 15, found hanged after row with parents over a mobile phone
‘Reasonable punishment’
A TEENAGER was found hanged in his bedroom after rowing with his parents about using his phone at night.
Keelan Groves, 15, and his younger brother were told to leave their devices downstairs when they went to bed, an inquest heard.
But one evening last May, Keelan, an aspiring drummer in a rock band, was late bringing the phone downstairs. The following morning he had an argument with his parents and his mother Julie tried to confiscate the phone.
But he took it back off her and went to school, only for it to be confiscated there and locked in a safe by the head of year.
After returning home on May 18, Keelan apologised to his mother but was later found hanged at the family’s semi- detached home in Fleetwood, Lancashire. He was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and was transferred to Manchester Children’s hospital but died two days later.
Coroner Richard Taylor said his parents had acted reasonably in punishing their son and should not blame themselves.
Recording a verdict of death by hanging, Mr Taylor told Keelan’s father Darren: ‘There is nothing that I have heard or read that suggests either you or your wife should reproach yourselves in any way.
‘This was a reasonable punishment that many parents would adopt in these circumstances.
‘It seems it was accepted by Keelan, who apologised to his mum as he knew that he had been in the wrong.
‘It was supported by his school and it was a punishment intended to be for a short duration. He believed that he would get his phone back the next day from the school. Questions parents often ask are ‘‘what if’’.
‘I would suggest that, if put in the same circumstances, you would not have considered there to be anything wrong with your punishment.
‘I believe that what Keelan did was an act of impulse. It was not thought out or planned. I can’t accept that he believed his actions would end his life.’ The inquest heard Keelan, who was in Year 10 at Fleetwood High School, was a keen musician and played drums with a local rock band.
In a statement to the inquest, Mr Groves said: ‘We had an agreement with the children that mobile devices on school nights come downstairs to be charged, so they don’t play on them all night. That agreement had been in place for a couple of years, with no problems.
‘Keelan’s mother would text him saying that it’s time to bring the phone downstairs, and he would.
‘I cannot believe he wanted to end his own life. When I left his bedroom earlier, he seemed his usual self.’ For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local branch, see www.samaritans.org