The parents of Katherine Powell, 17, who was found dead after discussing taking her life with 18-year-old Jack Williams on TikTok, believe police could have done more to protect her, an inquest heard
The parents of a teenager who died in a suspected suicide pact believe police never should have let her out on bail, an inquest has heard.
Katherine Powell, 17, and Jack Williams, 18, were both found dead a week after they discussed taking their own lives on TikTok. Six days earlier, they had been released on bail by Dorset Police after arrests were made for undisclosed offences. Now, Miss Powell’s family have said one or both of them should have been held ‘for their own protection’ – and claim there was clear evidence that they planned to kill themselves.
Miss Powell was reported missing by her family on January 22, 2022, while Mr Williams was reported missing two days later. Their bodies were discovered by a member of the public at Bothenhampton Nature Reserve near Bridport, Dorset, on January 25.
A post mortem examination stated the provisional cause of death for both of them was hanging. They were identified using their police custody images. Sefton Kwasnik, representing the Powell family, said: “There was the ability of Dorset Police to refuse bail and to ensure that at least one of the suspects could have been held for their own protection, even if they were saying they were not charged at that time.
“The concern on behalf of Katie’s family is that agents of change collectively didn’t do what was required to mitigate the risk of suicide which was clearly known to the police to exist. Police were aware on January 18 of concerns over a suicide pact.”
Dorset Area Coroner Brendan Allen said it would have been difficult for the police to continue to detain two teenagers without charge. The force referred itself to police watching the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the matter, though the findings of its investigation have not yet been disclosed.
Mr Williams, who was originally from Coventry, was unemployed and lived in West Bay, best known as the setting of ITV drama Broadchurch. Miss Powell was also single and unemployed, and her home address was given as Kenilworth, Warwickshire.
Mr Williams had also been arrested by Dorset Police in November 2021, the pre-inquest review hearing in Bournemouth heard. Mr Allen said that the scope of the inquest will also include how both missing persons’ searches were handled by Dorset Police and Warwickshire Police.
The hearing in Bournemouth on Thursday was attended virtually by the families of Mr Williams and Miss Powell, as well as representatives on behalf of Warwickshire County Council, Dorset Council, Warwickshire Police, Dorset Police and Dorset Healthcare. The full inquest is expected to be held later this year.
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