Girl, 12, told friend she would 'rather be in hell than at school' before taking her own life, inquest hears

From the Newshound archive · first published 25 September 2026 · last updated 26 September 2026.

Angel Karanja excelled at primary school but her performance deteriorated sharply after she moved to Cornerstone Academy in Hamworthy, where she began skipping classes and grew increasingly withdrawn. Her father Eliud Matindi told the Bournemouth inquest she became "almost nocturnal" through phone use, with Snapchat messages found sent as late as 5am on the morning her body was discovered.

Police found no evidence of cyberbullying or suicide-related searches on Angel's Samsung phone and tablet.

Former England rugby star Joe Marler said the case reinforced his decision to give his own 12-year-old son only a basic "balance phone" with no internet or social media access.