A TRAGIC 14-year-old girl was found dead in her bedroom after being targeted in a cyber-bullying campaign, an inquest heard.
Megan Evans was told to “kill herself” by vile trolls on social media before she was discovered by her brother.
One of the groups was called “I hate Megan Evans” – with more found by mum Nicola on Snapchat and Facebook following the teen’s death.
But Nicola told the inquest that when her friends were asked if Megan was being bullied at the time, “all of them said no”.
The mum-of-eight also said her daughter was having “outbursts” in class leading up to her death in 2017.
Nicola told the court this was “completely out of character” for Megan who was “such a studious and well-behaved girl”.
She added: “They knew her behaviour was out of character, it was getting worse, she was verbally abusive to staff.
“They must have known that something was wrong.”
Nicola said the school would contact her almost daily about Megan’s incorrect uniform but never told her about the bad behaviour.
The inquest heard on the day of Megan’s death on February 7, 2017, she had attended a meeting at school about a trip to France.
The talented artist and hockey player had also been looking forward to attending an upcoming Justin Bieber concert.
Megan appeared in good spirits when her mum and dad popped out later that night with her four younger siblings.
At around 10pm, the schoolgirl’s brother called his parents to tell them he couldn’t find Megan anywhere.
He tragically discovered his sister dead in a locked upstairs bedroom after searching the house.
The court was told Megan may have been upset by an argument with another pupil and was concerned for her dad’s health.
Malcolm Duthie, representing the education authority at Pembrokeshire Council, said it would be hard to get evidence of bullying as most of it allegedly took place on Snapchat where messages vanish.
Nicola has worked to raise awareness of mental health and the dangers of social media bullying following Megan’s death.
She launched the Megan’s Starr Foundation, which provides free counselling and support to young people in Pembrokeshire.
In a statement, the teen’s family described Megan as an intelligent, kind, and vibrant teenager.
They added: “She had a big heart and would do anything to help anyone,” the family statement read.
“She brought love and laughter into our home and was always full of energy. Her friends adored her, and she always stood up for what she believed in.”
The inquest continues.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
