Girl Hanged Herself To Avoid 'Backlash' After Posting Photo She Thought Might Offend

Featured image credit: Facebook

A 16-year-old girl hanged herself after worries that a racially offensive picture she made would prompt a 'backlash'.

Phoebe Connop from Halesowen, West Midlands, had been speaking to an Asian lad regularly and considered him her boyfriend despite the fact the pair had never actually met.

At the inquest into her death, they heard that she had posted a picture of herself with darker skin and with a scarf wrapped around her head into a private Instagram chat with her friends, saying that's 'how she'd have to look to get her boyfriend's parents' approval.

However, a friend in the chat spread the picture outside of the group.

Black Country Coroners Court heard that her father returned home to find his daughter dead.

West Midlands Police Detective Sergeant, Katherine Tomkins, said: "From speaking to her friends in the weeks following her death, we discovered that the image had circulated further than she wanted it to.

"There had been some negative reaction and she confided in her friend, who did take the image down at her request, that she was scared of what the reaction might be from the Asian community in her area."

Laurence Connop, Phoebe's father, said: "She was a lovely girl who would never want to cause offence to anyone.

"She had shown me no indication in the weeks leading up to her death that there was anything wrong, let alone anything that would lead her to do this."

Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique added: "This is an absolute tragedy for the family and I can't imagine the pain and distress they are going through, as well as her friends.

"There is nothing I can say to help with the pain but I offer my sincere condolences."

RIP Phoebe.

If you ever feel like there's nowhere to turn, remember that there is help available.

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Topics: Instagram

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay has been a Senior Journalist for Tyla and LADbible since 2015. She started her career writing obituaries and funeral guides online. Since then, her work has been published in a wide variety of national and local news sites. She is part of the BBC's Generation project and has spoken about young people, politics and mental health on television, radio and online. Contact her - [email protected]

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