Youth Discovered Deceased Following False Allegations of Taking Ashes

Personal Snapshot
The teenager's mother and father discovered his body in his bedroom in November 2021

A teenage youth was discovered deceased just days after being falsely accused of stealing the cremated remains of a dead baby during a burglary, an inquest has heard.

Tragic Finding

The young boy's parents found his remains in his bedroom at his Flintshire home on 19 November 2021.

False Allegations Begin

The inquest heard how his parent got a message on November 8th, 2021 via social media, from a individual inquiring if her son was her offspring. The communication stated: "Tell him thanks for breaking into my flat."

In a testimony presented to the court, Lisa Lloyd said the individual had been in the media, claiming her infant's remains had been stolen in a burglary - a claim which was false.

Law Enforcement Inquiry

An investigation report from police later determined the alleged burglary complainant had "provided false information" and "it now appears that said property was not taken in the beginning".

Media reports about the alleged taken ashes generated social media responses, and although Kai was not identified in the messages, his parent said individuals "knew it was him".

The "social media content were really distressing", she said.

Emotional Health Impact

She explained that Kai had been identified with mild ADHD, and as part of that condition, other peoples' views genuinely mattered to him.

"It would have hurt him deeply," she said, "particularly when this was untrue".

Kai was detained at his residence, but nothing was found. He was taken to a police station and later freed under investigation.

Police said they would be in touch, the hearing heard, but had not contacted the relatives by the moment of his passing.

Isolation and Anxiety

His mother said Kai "became isolated" after the arrest and "repeatedly inquired me whether I had heard anything from the authorities", because his ADHD meant sometimes "certain periods could feel like days".

When she spoke to him about the supposed incident, she said her son informed her he had entered the house because the woman who lived there had said he could use the toilet anytime he wanted, but denied taking anything.

Digital Harassment

In a joint statement between her and her spouse, Mrs Lloyd said her child was being bullied online after the allegations.

The inquest heard that one young adult urged the teenager to end his life.

She had no worries on the night before he passed away, describing how she had heard him "chuckling and teasing".

She portrayed him as a "caring, affectionate" young man, and said her "family is totally devastated".

He had been "clearly hiding his concerns", she stated, noting that he could not stand to have anybody "think bad of him".

Educational Reaction

The inquest received testimony from school staff at Connah's Quay secondary school.

On November 8th, she "heard some boys discussing that the student had been arrested and that was the first I learned".

"He informed me... he'd done nothing wrong," she added.

After the discussion, the educator said she rang the family's family telephone and provided a message saying she had communicated to Kai about the accusations.

The proceedings heard his family said they did not receive that communication.

Official Conclusion

Lead coroner informed the inquest he would await documents regarding what improvements had been made to dealing with individuals with ADHD, before determining whether he should make a avoidance of future deaths report.

Delivering a narrative finding, he stated: "Around 8 November 2021, unsubstantiated allegations were made against Kai Benjamin Lloyd, a young child.

"Probably falsehoods were afterwards embellished and exaggerated through the medium of online networks.

"On November 11th, he was interviewed by the authorities and after his questioning he was released whilst inquiries continued."

The official determined: "There is no proof that the actions or failures of any organization led to or added to his passing and although it was the result of a self-inflicted action it is not possible to determine his intent."

Elizabeth Myers
Elizabeth Myers

A certified life coach and mindfulness expert passionate about empowering others through personal development strategies.