Teenager killed herself two years after being attacked at school
A teenager killed herself two years after being viciously attacked at school, an inquest heard.
Grace Fyfe, 17, fell from the Humber Bridge and drowned in March 2021, which the coroner ruled was suicide.
Her death came two years after she was attacked by two other girls at Wolfreton School in Willerby, which ‘changed’ the teenager.
Grace’s mum, Kerry Young, said: ‘Grace was attacked by two girls who pulled her hair and threw a milkshake at her before punching and kicking her until she passed out.
‘The attack changed Grace. She refused to go to school and it took a long time to get over the attack.
‘She wouldn’t even leave the house. She had otherwise been a happy, smiling teenager.’
The mum said her daughter had ‘a heart of gold’ and always tried to help others.
She said: ‘Grace spoke her own mind. She had many friends and she would always stick up for them.
‘Grace thought for what she believed in and she had a heart of gold.
‘While she could sometimes be a nightmare she always tried to help, there was a girl at school being bullied and she helped her. Grace loved drama and she wanted to be a drama teacher.’
The night she took her own life, Grace and friends had been drinking vodka cocktails at her home.
Grace’s boyfriend and his friend also went round later, but the couple got into an argument, and Grace went ‘into a mood’ and told them to leave.
After leaving, Grace’s boyfriend received a text from a friend saying Grace was heading to the bridge.
He desperately tried to book a taxi to get to her, but he was unable to get one for an hour.
Need support?
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
If you’re a young person, or concerned about a young person, you can also contact PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide UK. Their HOPELINK digital support platform is open 24/7, or you can call 0800 068 4141, text 07860039967 or email: pat@papyrus-uk.org between the hours of 9am and midnight.
The inquest heard a member of Humber Bridge security staff was patrolling the bridge and initially spoke to Grace before she took her own life.
Grace said she ‘was getting in her 10,000 steps’ after the worker tried to get her to stay and talk, but she was adamant she was going and walked away.
Just an hour later the same worker received a call saying there was a young woman on the walkway near the railings.
The worker said: ‘I quickly arrived and asked her to come and talk to me, but she was already over the tailing and said nothing before letting go and falling over the edge.
‘That was the first time I had witnessed anything like that directly in my 28 years doing this job.’
Police pulled the teenager’s body out of the water and performed CPR, but the ambulance was mistakenly cancelled amid confusion over whether the coastguard helicopter would take Grace to hospital.
However senior coroner Professor Paul Marks decided there were no failings by any authority involved, and everything had been done to try and save Grace.
He also said he is content Grace did intend to take her own life.
‘I am satisfied Grace’s actions were such that she intended to take her own life,’ he said.
‘She was out in the small hours and had previously made comments about jumping from the bridge.
‘While I cannot completely rule out alcohol affecting her judgement, the levels in her system were comparatively modest.’
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