Teenager, 18, who was ‘tormented by jealously’ because of fears over her boyfriend’s contacts with other women hanged herself after taking cocaine, inquest hears
- Martha Jarvis, 18, did not trust her boyfriend Redley Flowerdew, Truro court told
- The coroner heard two previous boyfriends had cheated on her and was bullied
- He heard Martha had previously taken two overdoses, the first when she was 16
- Flowerdew said he ‘loved Martha more than anything’ and she was his soul mate
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A teenager in a ‘jealous torment’ hanged herself from a tree in her family garden after taking cocaine, an inquest has heard.
Martha Jarvis, 18, did not trust her boyfriend and was worried about his phone contacts with other women, the court in Truro, Cornwall, was told.
The coroner heard two previous boyfriends had cheated on the teenager, who had also suffered ‘systematic bullying’ at her school.
Assistant coroner Guy Davies said: ‘This is a tragic case of a young woman with a history of depression who took her own life while in a state of mental torment.
‘Martha was likely tormented by jealously due to unfounded concerns over the behaviour of her boyfriend towards other females.
‘She was unable to contact him to resolve those concerns and was in a state of jealous torment.’
An inquest heard 18-year-old Martha Jarvis (pictured) did not trust her boyfriend and was worried about his phone contacts with other women
Mr Davies was told Martha had previously taken two overdoses – the first when she was 16 years old following the bullying when she was 15.
Her boyfriend Redley Flowerdew said he ‘loved Martha more than anything’ and said she was his soul mate.
He said she had acted in a childlish manner and was having a ‘hissy fit’ and he had gone to work after trying to reassure her about his contact with other women.
He said he closed down all lines of contact because he did not want to argue about it but said he had not ended his relationship with Martha, the inquest heard.
The coroner heard two previous boyfriends had cheated on the teenager, who had also suffered ‘systematic bullying’ at her school
Martha was found hanged from a tree in the back garden of the family’s home in Mount Hawke, Cornwall, last August.
The coroner said Martha had taken some cocaine and this had had a rebound effect on her.
Mr Davies said the drug can lead to anxiety and depression, an absence of pleasure, exhaustion and suicidal feelings in those who have underlying mental health conditions.
He said the drug would have ‘fuelled her state of anxiety and torment’ and concluded she died from suicide.