Fainting experiment led to death of city schoolgirl
A TEENAGE schoolgirl from Plymouth hanged herself in a tragic experiment that went wrong — as she tried to feel the sensation of being 'reborn'.
Sian Jones was discovered by her mother and older sister hanging from the front door of their city flat by a dog lead in June.
An inquest into the 13-year-old's death heard how the youngster had suffered bullying issues at school — though detectives insisted they were a "red herring" and did not play a part in the tragedy.
Sian's family, speaking after yesterday's hearing, told The Herald they felt the bullying allegations had been "swept under the carpet".
They have vowed to continue their fight to find out more about what happened in the days and weeks leading up to the Stoke Damerel Community College pupil's death.
The inquest heard how Sian was a 'goth' or 'emo', who often dressed in black and had visited websites about the act of forced fainting.
The practice involves a person losing consciousness and 'crossing over' to feel the sensation of being 'reborn' into a world without the old problems.
Acting Detective Inspector Barry Walter told the inquest: "She had been researching fainting. Fainting is like a suicide act.
"We believe she may have trying to experience what she had seen and it went tragically wrong."
Dismissing the role bullying may have had in her death, he said: "She was very well liked and had a good group of friends.
"We investigated some concerns made that Sian was subject to some bullying."
Mr Walter told the inquest he had looked through Sian's diaries, Facebook, MSN and other internet accounts, as well as speaking to her friends and fellow pupils.
He said emails did reveal that Sian had said she was being bullied, had fallen out with a couple of girls and been the victim of "name-calling".
However, the day before her death, Sian had said it was "all sorted out", the inquest was told.
Mr Walter described Stoke Damerel as a well-run school where pupils suffering from problems such as bullying could confide in their teachers.
Staff had dealt with Sian's problems appropriately, he added.
However, Sian's mother Sarah said the family still had many unanswered questions, particularly regarding the allegations of bullying.
They are also upset about Sian's lifestyle and clothing choices being linked to the websites she had visited.
The tearful 34-year-old told The Herald: "I feel like there's a huge amount of denial about what happened.
"The bullying was completely swept under the carpet.
"We're not an angry family, or looking for someone to blame, I just want the whole truth to come out. It's what Sian deserves.
"Sian played a huge part in our lives — she was our little queen, our little darling.
"We're an extremely close family anyway and it's just devastating. Every day is a struggle."
Close family friend Ian Wilson, who attended the inquest on behalf of the grieving family, added: "There are still issues involving bullying.
"Even after her death, certain personalities made comments via Facebook that were threatening and derogatory."
Mr Wilson also said Sian had previously been assaulted, and the school never informed the family their daughter had sent an email claiming she was being bullied.
Plymouth Coroner Ian Arrow recorded a verdict of accidental death.
The inquest had been told how Sian's lifeless body was found hanging from a red dog lead on the landing by the front door of the family's flat on the Hoe on Tuesday, June 22 this year.
Mr Arrow said: "She had the intention of fainting and was experimenting with that dog lead.
"It is an acceptable explanation of why it was around her neck in those circumstances.
"It must have been a very great shock for all of you when you returned home that night."
Speaking outside the inquest, Mr Walter said Sian had accessed various websites about fainting — describing the practice as part of goth beliefs.
He said: "The sites say be careful doing it.
"Sian was a happy little girl and on that night she had put a new photo on Facebook and filmed herself on her phone dancing.
"She had some issues, but the bullying issues had been done and dusted and we believe they were a red herring.
"It was an experiment that went wrong."
Stoke Damerel principal Carol Hannaford said: "Our sympathy and thoughts, as ever, are with Mrs Jones, Sian's sister Adele and the rest of the family.
"Adele, with her friends and Sian's friends, organised a beautiful memorial in school which was full of happy memories and stories about Sian.
"We'll always miss Sian and remember her as a strong, happy young woman who, like her mum has said, was full of fun and humour."
5 Comments
by Hermes (and Thelemia), Plymouth
Saturday, September 04 2010, 1:16AM
“My apologies to the family and those unfamiliar to me and my usage in language. I emailed and wrote via postal letter to Devon and Cornwall Police in August 2009 expressing concern at a spate of suicides in the south-west which seemed strangely related to a suicide-cult(s) which I was involved with when I was a younger man than I am now (I hasten to add these were not 'goths' nor 'emos' who's philosophy of friendship in adversity is admirable). Having since turned away being sectioned under the Mental Health Act twice, witnessed several dubious arrests, been threatened with inoculous arrest myself after lawfully publically complaining concerning HSBC Bank charges, NatWest l.e.d. cashier desks malfunctioning in the same pattern for the past three years, and sending my novels and poetry to ex-clients including Hatcham Lodge and Scientology. Jim Webster has departed jurisdiction, yet to Andy Bickley, in resign, may the following questions be asked:
Is this the same or another person who left a note in Plymbridge woods describing how she was planning to later possibly harm herself (where there have been two other incidences in close proximity) which was decisively belittled in the Herald Police Press article entitled 'Fake suicide bids and hoax calls tying-up Plymouth police' the day before which these events took place, and to which I have made a complaint to the I.P.C.C. concerning. Although I myself placed a piece of poetry on the comments board. Several comments posted via friends and family on this and other articles indicate confusion over the labelling of 'goth', 'emo' and related web-sites which appear inconclusively related. In this respect every option and opinion of the Police has merely been covered by in itself The Evening Herald. At a Golden Dawn:
¿Should a window in wisdom occur through which this young woman who has fallen to an unhappy fate cast eyes back to the world in view of how all life considered would happiness be granted and justice seen to have been done if the facts and circumstances in this and other cases have failed to be detailed even though she would have undoubtedly granted forgiveness in all wisdom.¿
Jim Webster promised via text message that Police communication with the public would improve over such matters; Andy Bickley kindly see to it that it gets done lest 'the beast' Aleister Crowley and Saint Therese Of Lisieux return in vision accompanied by Thelema and request ¿I am not my brother's keeper nor am I scientifically proven to exist¿.”
by Mr G, Plymouth
Friday, September 03 2010, 8:24AM
“Quite clearly reading this article there is a bulling issue and the authorties once again ignoring it. Just because a person goes onto a website does not mean that is the reason for what we do. I find it odd the police make the decision this happened because of a website, yet ignore the evidence of bulling. When the young girl said "it is all sorted know" maybe the police should read a little deeper into that statement. If I was a bully I would be reading that article with a sigh of relief, thinking I got away with it. do not let the bullie win, it is obvious this is still a big issue, protect sian and others not the bullies.”
by Mr T.., Plymouth..
Thursday, September 02 2010, 3:21PM
“When we were kids, we used to play a game called Dr Death. you had to hold your breath for 10seconds while someone pushed hard on your chest, and it made you faint. That also went tragically wrong. Some games should never be played. I hope the family are comming to terms with what has happened. My heart goes out to her family.”
by Paige, plymouth
Thursday, September 02 2010, 2:50PM
“Stoke Damerel don't sweep bullying under the carpet, they find ways of sorting it out even if it takes a while. Every child matters at that school no matter what background or ethnic religion the are from.
If we happened to be the worst school how is it our exam results are getting better and better each year, where other schools are going down.
Sian was a lovely girl and very bright, she was loved by everyone that knew her.
R.I.P Sian”
by local, keyham
Thursday, September 02 2010, 2:07PM
“In my thirties a friend i had all my growing up years turned against me , just out of the blue. I was devastated and I can imagine how unbearable it must have been for this lovely girl to deal with bullying for no reason.”