Tipton teenager's death sparks investigation by the police complaints commission
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating after a teenage girl was found unconscious in her bedroom and later died.
Megan Edmunds, aged 14, was found unconscious in the bedroom of her New Street home in Tipton by mother Victoria Nuttall.
She later died at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley. The death is not being treated as suspicious, but it has been referred to the IPCC as the police were in contact with her in the 24 hours before her death.
Megan's uncle Tim Underhill, aged 53, said the death had baffled the entire family.
"We have not got a clue. The police are doing a lot of investigating. They are looking at her Facebook, interviewing her brothers and sisters," he said. "They are trying to get as much information as possible."
Megan was the youngest of Mrs Nuttall's five children and a pupil at a referral unit in Smethwick.
On Monday, the day before her death, the family were expecting Megan home from a friend's house at 9pm. But she failed to come back. They called police around midnight. The youngster was found by police in Manchester and was returned home at 5am.
She was last seen by her brother Liam just hours before she was found unconscious on Tuesday. "He went upstairs at around 3pm and put his head round her door to say he was going out," said Mr Underhill. "She was fine, just sitting on the bed listening to music. Then, bang, three hours later her mother found her."
He added: "Megan was such a happy go lucky kid.
There is speculation she was being bullied but there is nothing concrete. Everyone is baffled."
Mrs Nuttall is living at his home in Thorns Road, Stourbridge, because she is too distraught to go back to Tipton.
West Midlands Police spokesman, Lee Page, said: "Her death is not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been informed. It has been referred to the IPCC due to police contact with the teenager in the 24 hours leading up to her death."
Sandwell Council's cabinet member for children's services Councillor Simon Hackett said: "This is a terrible tragedy and I offer my deepest sympathies to this teenager's family and everyone who knew her. An inquest will take place in due course to establish all the facts surrounding her untimely death."
