Suicide of Kelly Yeomans

The suicide of Kelly Yeomans (22 May 1984 – 28 September 1997), a 13-year-old English schoolgirl from Allenton, a suburb of Derby, became widespread news when the cause was blamed on bullying, to which she had been subjected by other local children.

Kelly Yeomans
School portrait of Kelly Yeomans in 1996
Born	Kelly Yeomans (1984-05-22)22 May 1984[1] England
Died	28 September 1997 (aged 13) Allenton, Derby, England
Cause of death	Suicide by painkiller overdose
Nationality	British
Education	Merrill Academy
Occupation	Student

Incident

In evidence to the court, Yeomans was described as a pleasant and friendly girl. However, she was reported to be the victim of repeated harassment and taunting, particularly about her weight. Her parents said that the incessant bullying had left Yeomans feeling miserable. Her mother asserted that she had gone to her daughter's school, Merrill Academy,[2] thirty times to complain about the issue, but received no assistance. School officials, however, claimed they had received only one complaint.

Matters came to a head in September 1997, when a group of delinquent youths reportedly gathered at Yeomans's home on several consecutive nights, on each occasion throwing eggs, margarine, butter, cakes, and mud at the house[3] and shouting taunts aimed at Yeomans. Her mother later said that the incident prompted Yeomans to tell her family, "It is nothing to do with you Daddy, nothing to do with you Mummy, and nothing to do with you Sarah (her sister). I have had enough and I'm going to take an overdose."[4]

The parents said they were worried and sought help for their daughter's obvious depression, but did not believe she would carry out her threat to take her own life. However, Yeomans was soon found dead in her bedroom by her father and sister after taking an overdose of co-proxamol, a painkiller her mother used for a knee problem.[5]

After they admitted having done so, five youths between the ages of thirteen and seventeen were convicted of intentionally harassing Yeomans in the months leading up to her death.[6] They were sentenced to attendance centre orders. For a time, Yeomans's death put the issue of child bullies and their victims into the public spotlight.

In his 2003 recording More Jack than God, former Cream bass guitarist Jack Bruce wrote a tribute to her – "Kelly's Blues".[7]

References

1. "Kelly Yeomans (1984 - 1997) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
2. "Teen-ager takes overdose after suffering years of taunts". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 2 October 1997. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
3. "Bullied to Death: Taunted London Teen Commits Suicide". Associated Press. October 1998. Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
4. "Tormented teenager kills herself". BBC. 10 August 1998. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
5. "'Anguish' of bullied teenager". BBC. 10 August 1998. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
6. "Teenage bullies convicted". BBC. 10 February 1998. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
7. English, Paul (16 September 2003). "My song for tragic Kelly; Rock legend Jack Bruce opens his heart about the loss of his own son, Joe, at just 28". Daily Record. TheFreeLibrary.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.

Further reading

• "What makes one child a bully and another a victim?". BBC. 3 March 1998. Retrieved 16 June 2013.