Coroner's Finding: Westbrook, Eden Jayde
Deceased
Eden Jayde Westbrook
Demographics
15y, female
Date of death
2015-02-17
Finding date
2016-09-30
Cause of death
asphyxia due to hanging
AI-generated summary
Eden Jayde Westbrook, a 15-year-old high school student, died by suicide on 17 February 2015. She had experienced depression for some time without formal diagnosis, had a history of self-harm and suicide attempts, and had explicitly communicated suicidal intent to family and friends. Her parents attempted to arrange medical treatment, but Eden refused to attend appointments. The coroner found no evidence of targeted bullying at school, though Eden experienced some distress there and online. Eden's death highlights the critical need for early mental health intervention in adolescents, particularly when family recognizes warning signs including explicit suicide communication, self-harm history, and expressions suggesting resignation. Parents faced significant barriers to engagement with a reluctant adolescent; earlier, more assertive mental health intervention—potentially involving school-based assessment or involuntary evaluation—may have altered outcome.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- untreated depressive illness
- persistent suicidal ideation
- refusal to engage with offered treatment
- adolescent unwillingness to accept parental help
- lack of formal psychiatric diagnosis despite family concerns
- school-related distress
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