A "bright and bubbly" teenager with an infectious laugh, Jasmine Morris had shown no outward signs of feeling suicidal before her death earlier this year, an inquest has heard.

In a statement to the hearing, mum Shannon Lindsay outlined how the 16-year-old of Hart Dyke Road, Swanley, had been a successful and healthy school pupil, who had previously said she wanted to live to become the oldest person in the world.

But assistant coroner for North West Kent Alan Blunsdon could only make a conclusion of suicide following her death on July 22 this year.

The court heard that in the aftermath of her death, her "on-off" boyfriend had told her family that Jasmine had kept a book by the side of her bed - and it was later found to contain notes expressing suicidal thoughts.

Mrs Lindsay's statement outlined how Jasmine had attended Crockenhill Primary School from 2008 to 2010, where she had received the May Queen award, then gone to St Mary's Church of England School where she received a golden star award. She had also earned an award for artist of the year, won a cake baking competition and had gone on to achieve good results in her SATs exams and mock GCSEs.

"Her teachers told us she did really well and she should be proud," said her mum's statement, adding: "She was bright and bubbly and had an infectious giggle.

"She just loved giggling and making everyone laugh."

She said Jasmine had put her artistic talents to good use in lockdown by painting bird houses, and that she loved "everything girly", such as having her nails done and going shopping, and that she loved riding her bike.

Jasmine was looking forward to starting college, said her mum adding: "She always said she wanted to travel the world.

"She had a healthy diet and said she wanted to be the oldest living person on record and be in the Guinness Book of Records."

But she said Jasmine had stopped seeing friends after meeting her boyfriend in 2017.

When they had broken up in 2019 Jasmine had "seemed to go back to her normal self" but the pair got back in touch in the early part of 2020.

In the days before her death they had enjoyed time together as a family, and on Tuesday, July 21 they had gone to the beach before having pizza.

Shannon said Jasmine had been looking forward to a holiday and that the whole family had a great day, but she had noticed Jasmine went to bed with her make-up on, which she wouldn't usually do.

The first time she was aware that Jasmine was missing was 9.30am the next morning, and that after calling her sister, Eleanor, they had then called her boyfriend who said Jasmine was not with him.

Eleanor then went to visit the boyfriend and asked him if he knew where Jasmine was, and he had told her to try the train station.

Later that day he had told Shannon about a book down the side of Jasmine's bed "that only she knew about".

Shannon said she had concerns that Jasmine's boyfriend talked with her about suicide, and that they watched a drama series at his house called 13 Reasons Why, which centre's around a high school student's suicide.

But she added: "Me and my family saw no signs that Jasmine would ever do anything like what she did."

The coroner noted the boyfriend had suggested the family try the railway station, and asked if DI Bates, of British Transport Police, had contacted the boyfriend to ask him about that.
DI Bates said he had attempted to contact the boyfriend and his mother to ask why he mentioned it but they had not returned his calls.

But he suggested the boyfriend could have seen reports on social media of an incident at the station that morning.

He said it had otherwise appeared Jasmine had a supportive, loving family and that her death had been "out of the blue".

Jasmine's stepfather George Lindsay said there had been a text message from the boyfriend ending the relationship and the coroner asked DI Bates if he had been aware of the message.

DI Bates said he had been made aware from the conversation with Mrs Lindsay but that he hadn't been able to see it on downloaded messages.

Concluding the evidence, the coroner said it had been a sad and tragic death.

He said it was 'not necessary for a coroner in the course of an inquest to determine the reason for Jasmine's actions', and made a conclusion of suicide.

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