Schoolgirl, 16, afraid of going to jail killed herself after being caught shoplifting

A 16-year-old girl shoplifter accidentally killed herself when she took an overdose because she was terrified of being JAILED, an inquest has heard.

Shannon Ashe took a cocktail of medication in a ‘panic’ as a last-ditch attempt to get out of trouble with police.

On Tuesday Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard the ’emotional’ teen had not intended to take her own life but could think of no way other way to escape the situation.

Coroner Aidan Cotter said the schoolgirl felt ‘boxed into a corner” when she took massive amounts of tablets on January 9 last year.

He said: “It’s possible she was emotional, scared and was trying to get out of the trouble she was in.

“She thought: ‘I’ll take some tablets to stop this’, which is different to a mature person saying: ‘I’m going to kill myself and never come back’.

“She was emotionally upset and had not thought it through.

“There is no clear evidence that she intended to die.”

Recording an open verdict, Mr Cotter added that he believed Shannon had taken the overdose out of panic.

The inquest heard Shannon had appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court charged with a shoplifting offence before her death.

She fled the court appearance out of fear she would be sent to the same Young Offender Institute as a girl she had fallen out with.

PC Craig Rudge, of West Midlands Police, said Shannon’s mum Sarah told him her daughter was “petrified” of being sent to the same place.

On the day of her death, the court heard Shannon had taken her mother’s prescription drugs shortly after hiding from police.

Just hours before, officers had called at the teen’s home address in Castle Vale, Birmingham, after she absconded from court.

A post-mortem found Shannon had died of an overdose.

Speaking after the hearing, mum Sarah said the incident had been a “very upsetting time for the family”.

Other relatives flocked to social networks to pay touching tributes to the ‘bubbly and fun’ teenager.

Sister Sinead said: “Rip to this beautiful girl you mean the world to been here for me an just gone it hurts so much I really wish that door would knock and it be you miss you ever so much my beautiful big sister never ever gonna forget you an all our memories I hope your (sic) by my side an watching down on me.

“I hope your proud of me cause I’m proud of you.

“Best sister in the world an iv said that from day one.”