THE DUBLIN city coroner yesterday returned a narrative verdict on a 13-year-old boy who was found dead at his home. He was found lying on the floor of his bedroom with a belt around his neck.
The coroner stated he could not rule out an accident or misadventure.
In a statement the boy’s father described his son as “a happy-go-lucky child who did a lot of sport and other activities”. His son had not suffered from depression.
He said on the night of his son’s death, the boy had come home at around 7.45pm and was in good form. He and his son played with the dog for a while, and his son, who he said planned to go to the cinema with friends the following afternoon, had asked his father to give him a lift.
He and his wife later went upstairs and heard the boy come up at about 10.25pm. His son again asked him if he could drop him to the cinema the following day. His wife had then reminded her son to take a shower.
When 15 minutes later, they had not heard the shower come on, his wife went to check and found their son lying on the bedroom floor with a belt around his neck.
In his statement, investigating Garda Sgt Declan Birchall of Lucan Garda station noted that the boy was a good student and had a good social life. The boy had no history of depression.
He described a “fainting game” whereby young people try to get a buzz from lack of oxygen as a possible explanation for his death.
Coroner Brian Farrell said that based on the evidence, his age and the fact that there is no sign of intention, it did not seem the case that the boy deliberately self-harmed. “I simply don’t know what happened.”
