A GIRL was found dead at private school the day before her first-ever detention, an inquest heard.
Caitlyn Scott-Lee, 16, was discovered in a secluded area of Wycombe Abbey school in Buckinghamshire on April 12 last year.
Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court heard the teen was due to take part in detention the following day after alcohol was found in her locker.
Caitlyn’s heartbroken father Jonathan Scott-Lee today paid tribute to the “daddy’s girl” on the first day of her inquest.
He said: “I took care of her, dressed her, cuddled her, fed her, and soothed her.
“As she grew as a toddler, there would be bitter-sweet moments where she would stand by the window of our home and cry as I left for my daily commute.
“Little did she know I would return each evening.”
The senior banker told the court how like him, Caitlyn was also autistic, which meant her feelings were “amplified”.
Jonathan explained how he had looked through a photo book before the inquest and was “surprised at how full a life Caitlyn lived in 6,041 days”.
He said his daughter obtained a scuba diving licence aged just 10, played tennis in Scotland, modelled in Singapore and rode in helicopters in New Zealand.
The adventurous schoolgirl also skied across Japan, hiked the Great Wall of China and even honed her rifle marksmanship.
Jonathan added: “Caitlyn was so much more than autism, Wycombe Abbey, and detention.”
The inquest was told staff had searched for Caitlyn after she failed to return in time for curfew at her boarding school accommodation.
She was then tragically found in a secluded area of the school that night.
Wycombe Abbey was founded in 1896 and currently has 656 pupils with 591 boarders.
Notable alumni include actresses Sally Phillips and Rachael Stirling.
The inquest continues.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
