Mum 'not told about outbursts' before daughter's death

The mother of a teenage girl who died in 2017 says she was not told about her daughter's "outbursts" in class in the weeks leading up to her death.

Megan Evans, 14, was found dead at her Milford Haven home in February 2017 after allegedly being bullied on social media.

During the first day of Megan's inquest, her mother Nicola Harteveld said bad behaviour in Milford Haven School was "completely out of character" for her daughter and she should have been made aware.

Ms Harteveld found out via messages on Megan’s Snapchat account, saying Megan was "such a studious and well-behaved girl".

"They knew her behaviour was out of character, it was getting worse, she was verbally abusive to staff. They must have known that something was wrong," Ms Harteveld told the inquest.

She said the school frequently contacted her about Megan’s incorrect uniform and claimed her daughter was being "harassed" about having the wrong trousers.

"They found it appropriate to call me nearly every day about her uniform," but that they never informed her about bad behaviour in school, she said.

Ms Harteveld added Megan was told to kill herself on social media, and that an "I hate Megan Evans" group had been created, reported to the school and taken down.

However, Ms Harteveld found more groups after logging into Megan’s Snapchat and Facebook accounts after her death.

Pembrokeshire council previously said there was a bullying response system in place at the school.

Malcolm Duthie, from the council, said when friends were asked if they believed Megan was being bullied, "all of them said no", adding she may have been upset by an argument with another pupil and concern for her father’s health.

Ms Harteveld said there were "a number of things that were affecting her".

Mr Duthie added it would be hard for the school to obtain any evidence of bullying as most of it took place on Snapchat.

Ms Harteveld said that the social media platform is the "best friend" of unkind behaviour and a "horrific social media tool" as messages disappear after 24 hours.

Megan was found dead in her family home in Milford Haven on the evening of 7 February 2017.

Ms Harteveld told police she had "no idea why Megan would do this", and that they had attended a meeting at school about a trip to France that evening and Megan was looking forward to a Justin Bieber concert.

The inquest continues.