12-year-old boy found hanged after being bullied at school

A mother found her 12-year-old son hanged after he was bullied at school, an inquest heard.

Matthew Wooby, who had mild autism, was discovered on February 13.

Metro UK reports that his father, David, told an inquest at Suffolk Coroner’s Court that his son fell into a ‘spiral of depression’ and killed himself after he was subjected to bullying at Felixtowe Academy.

Wooby said, “It’s my personal conclusion that he was so unhappy because he was being bullied… and he went into a spiral of depression which I didn’t notice at the time.

“And I think he took his own life on purpose because he was so depressed.”

But assistant coroner, Nigel Parsley, said he was unable to record a verdict of suicide as it was not clear Matthew, who was mildly autistic, knew his actions would result in his death.

Felixstowe Academy admitted there was one reported incident of bullying but claimed this was ‘dealt with swiftly’ in line with its policies.

Matthew’s parents had left him with babysitters at his home in Suffolk on February 12, who had looked after him many times before.

They watched a film together and he went to bed.

By the next morning his mother, Wendy, found him where he was immediately rushed to Ipswich Hospital.