Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Tragic student had spoken of suicide in Facebook post
A gifted guitarist and Canterbury College student with a history of depression hanged himself in woodland close to his home, an inquest has heard.
Toby Parkinson, 20, was discovered in the Old Park behind the Poets Estate on the night of May 31.
He posted on Facebook the night before: “I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not going to have a mid-life crisis. My life is a [expletive] crisis.”
Mr Parkinson, who lived in a shared house in Forrester Close and had a history of depression, was found on June 1 by a boy walking through the Old Park.
PC Stuart Milroy was the first officer at the scene and discovered a letter in his pocket, which led police towards Mr Parkinson’s identity.
Det Sgt Lewis Tompsett carried out the investigation into Mr Parkinson’s death.
He said: “The Facebook mes- sage he left at a little after 11.30pm on May 31 may be indicative of a person with depressive tendencies.
“His body had no defensive wounds or marks and there was no evidence of third-party involvement.
“The mechanics of his death suggest he was intending to end his own life.”
A post-mortem test showed that Mr Parkinson had died from suspension. He also had twice the legal driving limit for alcohol in his system.
The hearing was told he had sought professional help for depression and alcohol use and had been reducing his intake.
His mother, Joy Parkinson, said her son had gone to Drapers Mills Primary School in Margate and Dane Court in Broadstairs.
He had become unhappy and depressed around the age of 15 and did not enjoy his sixth form studies at the grammar school.
But Mrs Parkinson said he became happier when he transferred to a music course, first at East Kent College and then at Canterbury College.
However, Mrs Parkinson said her son’s moods were often “up and down”.
She told coroner Alan Blunsdon: “Sometimes he was very happy and sometimes he was non-conversational.
“He did not share with his family that he was suicidal. He wrote on Facebook that he was suicidal, but I thought that was more attention seeking.
“The last time I saw him was about two or three weeks before his death and he seemed quite upbeat.”
Mr Blunsdon recorded a conclusion of suicide.