Dentist's daughter, 14, found hanged in garage of parents' luxury home after leaving note saying she wanted to 'end the pain'

Inquest: Alara Lawson, 14, tried to hide her depression from her family after she had her heart broken and they never knew she wanted to kill herself

A 'bubbly' 14-year-old girl was so intent on hiding her deep depression after breaking up with a boyfriend her family had no clue she was planning to kill herself, an inquest heard today. Year nine pupil Alara Lawson was found dead at their five-bedroom home in Newbury, Berkshire, when her parents and brother returned from a school open evening.

The student left a series of heartbreaking notes, including one to her ex-boyfriend, which read: 'I have decided to end my life. I’ve suffered from depression for about three years. 'I guess keeping everything bottled up for three years just kills. I have to end this pain.' The coroner was told that Alara was found hanging in the garage of the £750,000 home. The talented writer and artist had broken up with a boyfriend, named only as Master X, late last year but had not spoken of being unhappy.

Instead the outwardly effusive girl had repeatedly talked of the future and even about which university she might like to attend, her devastated father told the inquest. Dr Peter Lawson, a dentist, said his daughter was never put under any pressure by her family and they encouraged her to be happy, enjoying rap music with her friends and spending time reading in her bedroom. However, when Dr Lawson and his wife Marnie returned from the school open evening with their son Josh on June 20 this year they discovered Alara’s body. They immediately tried to resuscitate her as they waited for ambulance crews to arrive. Paramedics rushed the youngster to the North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke where accident and emergency staff spent an hour trying to save her. As the family went out that evening her mother shouted to her daughter that they were leaving she replied 'I love you mum.'

 

Scene: Alara's mother, father and brother found her dead at their £750,000 home in Newbury, Berkshire (pictured)

Dr Lawson, 62, told the inquest in Newbury that his wife and daughter had a relationship 'like best friends' and said he had 'no idea' his daughter may have been unhappy. 'It’s a complete mystery and has devastated our family,' he said. His 47-year-old wife did not attend today’s inquest but said in a statement she and her daughter would go shopping and power walking together as well as sharing make-up tips. “Alara never showed any signs of depression and was always a happy, bubbly girl. Alara gave no indication she was about to do this. We have always been an open family and talked about things and Alara has been a happy, independent child.”

 

Tragic: Alara killed herself in the garage (pictured) and was discovered when her family came back from a school open evening

The Year Nine pupil and her family moved back to England from Cyprus in April 2011. Alara’s friend, Saffi Donertas said Alara had been a 'shadow of herself' in the months before she died and had confided in her about feeling unhappy. Police discovered photographs and pictures on the Year Nine pupil’s iPod of “emo images” depicting despair with characters crying blood and images of fallen angels. They also found a series of essays with headings including ‘Trust, ‘Dark secrets’, ‘Time to die’, ‘Your fault’ and ‘I just want you back’.

Recording an open verdict Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford said: 'What is overwhelmingly clear from the evidence is that those who knew Alara best - her family and friends and school teachers - had no expectation, no inkling, even with the benefit of hindsight, no understanding what happened to end her life at such a young age.' Following Alara’s death on June 20 this year, her school headteacher Christina Haddrell paid tribute to her as a “lovely, talented young person”.

Source: Daily Mail UK

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