Phoebe was worried about the backlash to her picture (Picture: Phoebe Connop /Facebook)

A teenager committed suicide after worrying a photo of her shared online could be construed as racist, an inquest heard.

Phoebe Connop, 16, had been speaking with an Asian guy online, who she called her boyfriend though the two had never met.

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An inquest heard she shared an edited picture of herself where her skin tone had been darkened as she wore a scarf wrapped around her head in a private Instagram chat with pals.

The schoolgirl said to friends that is what she would have to look like to get approval from her boyfriend’s parents.


A coroner was told the image was spread wider by one of her friends, prompting Phoebe into worrying about a backlash.

Black Country Coroners Court at Jack Judge House in Oldbury. (PIcture: Google)

Black Country Coroners Court heard Phoebe had been working with her father Laurence, 53, to get some money for her summer holidays on July 7 this year.



He had taken her home early due to her feeling unwell but tragically found his daughter hanging when he returned after work.

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Her dad told the inquest said: ‘She was a lovely girl who would never want to cause offence to anyone.

‘She had shown me no indication in the weeks leading up to her death that there was anything wrong, let alone anything that would lead her to do this.’

Giving evidence, Detective Sergeant Katherine Tomkins, from West Midlands Police, said: ‘From speaking to her friends in the weeks following her death, we discovered that the image had circulated further than she wanted it to.

The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide (Picture: Phoebe Connop / Facebook)

‘There had been some negative reaction and she confided in her friend, who did take the image down at her request, that she was scared of what the reaction might be from the Asian community in her area.’

The inquest heard Phoebe, who lived in Halesowen, West Mids., was a talented gymnast who had ambitions of becoming a midwife.

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Her family found a ‘wish list’ in her bedroom following her death which listed that she wished to study at sixth form.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique gave his condolences to Phoebe’s family.

An area in the school’s spiritual garden has also been chosen by Phoebe’s parents to be dedicated in her memory.

For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch.