Schoolgirl who hanged herself after fleeing home ‘lively’ in lessons
Schoolgirl, 13, who hanged herself after fleeing home was ‘lively’ in lessons but ‘quiet and withdrawn’ when called in to school meeting with her mother and stepfather, inquest hears
- School support workers described Amber as ‘pleasant, bubbly and enthusiastic’
- The school staff said Amber’s behaviour changed in the presence of her parents
- Amber and her parents had attended a meeting at school about behaviour
- Daniel Peat said he had comforted Amber at the meeting and told her ‘it was going to be all right’
A school girl who hanged herself after fleeing home was ‘lively’ in lessons but ‘quiet and withdrawn’ when called into a school meetings with her mother and stepfather, an inquest heard.
Amber Peat ran away from her home in Nottingham, when she was ordered to clean out a cool box after returning from a family holiday to Cornwall.
Today contrasting images of Amber were revealed at an inquest into the 13-year-old’s death.
School support manager Emma Dunn described her as ‘pleasant, bubbly and enthusiastic girl, a lively character,’ although she ‘struggled to concentrate.’
Amber Peat (pictured above) hanged herself after fleeing home after a row with her stepfather
Daniel Peat (right) Amber’s stepfather, left Nottingham Coroner’s Court today after saying he had comforted Amber during a school meeting
She compared that with Amber’s behaviour when called into a meeting with her mother Kelly and stepfather Daniel Peat.
In a statement read at the hearing, Miss Dunn said that it ‘left her with an uneasy feeling.’ At the inquest at Nottingham Council House, Miss Dunn said that Amber was ‘quiet and withdrawn.’
She said: ‘Amber was very different with how she presented.’
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Amber’s stepfather Daniel Peat told the hearing that he comforted Amber during the meeting in school.
Amber’s mother Kelly Peat (pictured above)
‘I put my arms around her, saying that it’s going to be all right,’ said Mr Peat.
He told the inquest that a mentor was identified for Amber to ‘contact one to one.’
The school meeting took place a year before Amber was found hanged in bushes on June 2, 2015. She walked out of her home three days before.
The meeting at the school had been intended to start a formal assessment of the teenager because of concerns about her behaviour. This was not completed because her pregnant mother felt ill and had to leave.
Assistant Coroner Laurinda Bower asked whether this was ‘a missed opportunity to do something more for Amber.’
Miss Dunn said it was decided to ‘continue to monitor Amber while she was in school.’
At the time, Amber was a pupil of Tibshelf Community School. Soon after she moved to Queen Elizabeth School in Mansfield, making it the eleventh time the teenager had moved house in her life.
Miss Dunn said: ‘She didn’t want to move. I think she was settled, whether they were her words or not.’
Amber (pictured above) was a pupil of Tibshelf Community School
The coroner asked: ‘Was there concern for Amber, to use the phrase, ‘falling through the cracks?’
Miss Dunn replied: ‘The changes were upsetting as it was. She did not say why she was going.’
The coroner asked: ‘During your time with Amber, was there a mention of self-harm, suicide, anything of that nature?’
Shaking her head, Miss Dunn said: ‘None at all.’
Family doctor Michael Gadsden said that he attended a ‘heated’ meeting with officials of organisations after Amber’s death.
‘There were various accusations between different agencies. It was a tragic event and intense meetings,’ he added.
On the second day of the inquest, there was evidence that Amber was twice thought to have run away from school. On one occasion, she was found in the school library.
A post mortem said there was no evidence to suggest anyone else was involved.
On the night Amber vanished from home, the family had returned from a holiday in Cornwall. She got into trouble for drinking Cherryade without permission.
Later the door slammed and she left. Her family searched and alerted police officers five hours later.
Earlier this week, DC Gilfoyle said that while Amber was missing, police interviewed a ‘child witness’ who revealed how she had ‘been in trouble quite a lot’ during the half-term break.
Amber had also told teachers at her school she felt ‘very put upon’ and ‘had lots of jobs to do’ at home and that she felt her siblings had an easier life.
The officer told the hearing: ‘There had been arguments and Amber had been prevented from going to the beach.
‘Together with a cousin she had written a ‘runaway list’ on a laptop. It was quite a childish list with a wig, torch and rope. The cousin thought it was a joke.
‘There had been an apparent incident in the car on the way home where Amber had taken some Cherryade without asking and had been scowling at Danny Peat, and had been told to sit in the back of the Zafira.
‘Danny Peat said if she scowled at him again he was going to hit her.
‘She (the witness) said Amber was only allowed sandwiches and not nice things as a result of her behaviour, because she had been misbehaving and cheeky.
‘As a punishment when she got home she had to clean the car out herself.
‘The family then go about their business, picking up pets and the like, and they, according to the child witness, go to Danny Peat’s mum’s home, and Amber is told to sit on a chair in the corner and told not to talk to them.
‘They eventually go home and Amber is told to clean the cool box out that they had their sandwiches in. She was not happy about it and objected to it. ‘She is reported as complaining and trying to get her mum’s attention, and so her mum shuts the door, leaving Amber alone in the hallway. A short while later the door slams and Amber is gone.
‘They went intending to look for Amber but could not see her. They went to Tesco and did some shopping and had their tea.’
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