Phoebe Connop tragedy: Windsor High School pupil worried about 'offensive' photo before her death
A 16-year-old girl who committed suicide had been concerned over a potentially offensive photograph she had taken being shared online, an inquest heard.
Phoebe Connop, a Windsor High School pupil, had been working with her father to get some money for her summer holidays on July 7.
But he had taken her home early due to her feeling unwell, Black Country Coroner's Court, in Oldbury, heard.
See also: Tributes after daughter found dead at home in Halesowen
When her father returned after work to the Witley Avenue address in Halesowen, expecting to find her ready to go out for a meal, he found her hanging.
The inquest heard that she had been speaking regularly with an Asian male, who she called her boyfriend, despite the two not having met.
In a private Instagram chat with her friends, she shared an edited picture of herself where her skin tone had been darkened as she wore a scarf wrapped around her head.
She said to them that is what she would have to look like to get approval from her 'boyfriend's' parents.
The image was then taken out of the private chat and spread wider by one of her friends, prompting Phoebe into fearing a backlash, the inquest was told.
Detective sergeant Katherine Tomkins 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.
"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."
Phoebe, who was born in Stafford, was a keen gymnast who had ambitions of becoming a midwife.
Her family found a 'wish list' in her bedroom following her death which listed that she wished to study at sixth form.
Her father, Lawrence Connop 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."
Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique gave his condolences to Phoebe's family as he delivered a conclusion of suicide.
He said: "This is an absolute tragedy for the family and I can't imagine the pain and distress they are going through, as well as her friends.
"There is nothing I can say to help with the pain but I offer my sincere condolences."
