A 14-year-old boy took his own life after he was accused of burgling a young mother’s flat and stealing her baby’s ashes, an inquest has heard.
Kai Lloyd, of Connah’s Quay, Wales, was arrested at his home and taken to a police station but was later released under investigation.
The alleged theft of ashes in November 2021 was said by his mother to be ‘untrue’.
But the teen was allegedly bullied at school after the allegation by the baby’s mother, 22-year-old Chloe Robinson, circulated on social media.
One 19-year-old youth allegedly urged Kai to kill himself before his death by suicide, the inquest heard.
In a statement, Kai’s mother Lisa Lloyd said she received a Facebook message from Ms Robinson on November 8, 2021, asking if Kai was her son. The message added: ‘Tell him thanks for burgling my flat.’
Mrs Lloyd said: ‘I was shocked when Chloe Robinson messaged me. It was so out of character for Kai. He wouldn’t do something like that. I contacted the police to try and clear things up.’
Her son insisted he had not done what was alleged. ‘He was adamant he didn’t take anything from the house,’ Mrs Lloyd said.
Kai Lloyd, of Connah’s Quay, Wales, was arrested at his home and taken to a police station but was later released under investigation
The family hadn’t heard from police in the eight days after his release and before he died.
‘Waiting to hear back from the police would have played on Kai’s mind,’ Mrs Lloyd said.
‘He didn’t know what Chloe Robinson had accused him of. Kai withdrew into himself in the days following his arrest. I told him not to worry.’
However, Ms Robinson had alleged publicly that burglars stole her baby’s ashes. ‘Kai wasn’t mentioned in the articles but we live in a small community and people knew it was him,’ Mrs Lloyd said.
‘The online posts were really upsetting. I know they would have really upset Kai. He cared deeply about other people. He would never hurt anybody.
‘It would have hurt him deeply that people were saying he had stolen a baby’s ashes especially when this wasn’t true.’
Mrs Lloyd said Kai ‘handled’ the accusation by refusing to leave the house and ‘staying at home’.
But the mother claimed she didn’t have any worries about her son’s state of mind, adding the night before he died that he had been ‘laughing and joking’.
She told the hearing he was ‘clearly hiding his worries’.
Mrs Lloyd got up for work on November 19 and had ‘a horrible feeling’, so ‘went straight upstairs to Kai’s room’, she claimed.
Inside, she tragically discovered the teenager hanging, having taken his own life.
In a moving statement, Mrs Lloyd said: ‘Our family is completely shattered.
‘We are in complete disbelief this has happened to such a loving, caring boy who had his whole life ahead of him. My life will never be the same. He will always be loved and treasured.’
Mrs Lloyd said Kai had been diagnosed with a mild form of ADHD.
The teen attended Connah’s Quay high school and was described by his pastoral coordinator Sue Messham as ‘well-liked’ with an ‘infectious smile’ who always wore odd socks.
She told the coroner John Gittins :’I overheard some boys talking that Kai had been arrested. That was the first thing I heard. I asked Kai. He told me that he didn’t do anything wrong, he had done nothing wrong.
‘I tried to reassure him that he needed to let the police investigate and the truth would come out.’
Mrs Messham said she then rang the landline of his parents and left a message to tell them about the information, and had informed the school’s safeguarding lead at the time. There had been no concerns about his behaviour in the days before the tragedy.
Breaking the news to year ten pupils at assembly ‘was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do’.
Mrs Messham added: ‘He was a happy, smiling boy, full of fun and laughter with the most infectious smile.’
James Forber, high school headmaster since 2023, told the inquest: We have put very clear roles and responsibilities in place.’
Family barrister Jodie Blackstock said Kai’s intention wasn’t clear before his death.
Kai’s mother wept as the coroner outlined a statement by North Wales police civilian investigator Mike Williams.
‘It now appears the said property was never stolen in the first place,’ he said.
The coroner recorded a narrative conclusion that: ‘Around November 8, 2021, unsubstantiated allegations were made against Kai Benjamin Lloyd. Likely falsehoods were subsequently embellished and exaggerated through the medium of social media.
‘On November 11 he was questioned by police and following his interview he was released while investigations continued.
‘Between November 8 and 18, Kai exhibited no behavioural concerns to his family or his school and gave no indication of any intention to harm himself.
‘There is no evidence that the acts or omissions of any agency caused or contributed to his death, and although it was the result of a self-inflicted act it is not possible to discern his intent.’
Mr Gittins told Kai’s family: ‘It’s very difficult to envisage such a tragic scenario as this when what appears to have been falsehoods has exacerbated existing issues within Kai’s head and led to him taking an action which is beyond comprehension for anybody.’
