UK - Adam Rickwood, 14: "I can't last much longer" suicide while in juvenile detention, 9 August 2004

[White Rain]

I am sure she might go online and read up about her sons death...and it might be very easy for her to come across this website and see those awful comments.
Even if those kinds of things were not said to my face it would hurt me to stumble across them online.
Most of us out there aren't supermodels, do we really need it pointed out?

 

[southcitymom]

I am sure she might go online and read up about her sons death...and it might be very easy for her to come across this website and see those awful comments.
Even if those kinds of things were not said to my face it would hurt me to stumble across them online.
Most of us out there aren't supermodels, do we really need it pointed out?

I understand your kindheartedness, WhiteRain. I think alot about how my posts might effect someone if they happened to stumble upon one - and I try, in good conscience, to post accordingly

However, I am jaded enough to note that (on this site and others) "she looks like a man" is one of the kinder things I've seen posted about parents faced with the death of a child. "She's masculine looking" doesn't even raise my eyebrows in face of the cruelty I often read dished out.

But that's the cynic in me and you are, of course, correct in your assertion that we should try to refrain from unkind remarks about people's physical appearance.

 

[White Rain]

I understand your kindheartedness, WhiteRain. I think alot about how my posts might effect someone if they happened to stumble upon one - and I try, in good conscience, to post accordingly

However, I am jaded enough to note that (on this site and others) "she looks like a man" is one of the kinder things I've seen posted about parents faced with the death of a child. "She's masculine looking" doesn't even raise my eyebrows in face of the cruelty I often read dished out.

But that's the cynic in me and you are, of course, correct in your assertion that we should try to refrain from unkind remarks about people's physical appearance.

Thank you for saying this.

 

[Rikissa]

The first inquest into the death of Adam Rickwood in January 2009:

CORONER OVERRULED IN CHILD DEATH IN CUSTODY CASE

22 January 2009

www.inquest.org.uk

A second inquest was held in January 2011:

SERCO AND YOUTH JUSTICE AGENCIES CONDEMNED FOR UNLAWFUL TREATMENT OF VULNERABLE BOY IN CUSTODY

27 January 2011

www.inquest.org.uk

BBC article from 27 January 2011:

Unlawful force contributed to death of boy, 14, in cell

An unlawful use of force contributed to the decision of a 14-year-old boy to take his own life at a youth custody centre, an inquest jury concludes.

www.bbc.com

The British Governments response (from 2010?) to the inquests in the death of Adam Rickwood, and Garreth Myatt, who had died in 2004 in a similar incident.
Link to PDF file:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwid-aj234WSAxUyExAIHfrGJoIQFnoECC0QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F5a7eb405ed915d74e6225f10%2Fresponse-inquest-myatt-rickwood.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3vYQkVjHdNDbwPOZH9bRlU&opi=89978449