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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jasmine Norden & Adam May

Student, 21, wrote apology note before taking her own life at Travelodge

An "empathetic" and sporty student wrote a note of apology before taking her own life, an inquest heard.

Ashleigh Keniry, 21, checked into the Travelodge on Broad Street West in Sheffield city centre, South Yorkshire, for one night and asked for late checkout.

When staff entered the room to clean for the next guest on February 5 this year, they found her dead, Yorkshire Live reports.

An inquest at the Medico-Legal Centre in Sheffield on Tuesday heard how Miss Keniry, a student at Keele University in Staffordshire, had struggled with her mental health for several years.

In a pre-written statement, Miss Keniry's mum paid tribute to her "incredibly empathetic" daughter, calling her a "shining light".

South Yorkshire Police were called to Miss Keniry's hotel room after staff reported finding her body.

Ashleigh Keniry was found by staff members inside her Travelodge hotel room (file photo) (SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

She had told her mother she was going to stay with a friend before checking into the hotel, the inquest heard.

Miss Keniry was wearing pyjamas and the remote control for the TV was found beside her.

She had written a note that said "please give this note to my mum".

In the note, which was read aloud by coroner Tanyka Rawden, Miss Keniry said she had lost the will to live.

She apologised to her family as she affirmed her love for them.

The pathologist who conducted a post-mortem examination found high levels of a prescription drug in her blood.

There were no other factors identified that could have led to her death, the inquest heard.

Miss Keniry's GP in Keele provided written evidence that documented how the patient had first accessed Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services in 2018.

From then on, she had seen her GP a number of times before her death.

In 2019, Miss Keniry attended A&E with a self-harm laceration to her forearm.

She was assessed by a mental health team, where they discussed her "long history" of struggling with her mood, stress and anxiety.

She attended one of her 2019 GP appointments with her mum, where they discussed her struggles with stress.

Miss Keniry returned in January 2020, and told her GP she was struggling with academic stress, low mood and anxiety.

She had had fleeting thoughts of self-harm, and her GP prescribed her antidepressants.

She was reviewed later in January, and discussed coping strategies, and, at the time, it was thought she was at a low risk of self-harm, the inquest heard.

Miss Keniry told her GP she wasn't feeling much benefit from the antidepressants at the beginning of February 2020, but said she had started to see some improvement by the end of the month.

In March, she was feeling worse again, though attributed this to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Miss Keniry reported some improvement in her mood in April and was signposted to further self-help services.

Ashleigh Keniry had struggled with mental health problems for a number of years (AFP via Getty Images)

During an appointment on February 3 last year, Miss Keniry's said she thought her medication was working well - but said she hadn't taken any in a few weeks and had noticed an effect on her mood.

She was seen in A&E on March 30 after having an anxiety attack, where she discussed her anxiety with the mental health team but denied having any suicidal thoughts.

Her GP prescribed her a beta-blocker to treat the anxiety she was struggling with at this point. Miss Keniry also began Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which she said was really helping with negative thoughts and continued to report counselling was beneficial.

In November 2021, her dosages of antidepressants and beta-blockers were increased after she reported increased low mood and anxiety.

She denied self-harm thoughts.

She was continuing with talking therapies when she saw her GP in January 2022, but said her medication changes had helped her anxiety not her low mood.

Miss Keniry also said she was trying to wean herself off her antidepressants and was planning to take a leave of absence from university to focus on her mental health.

This was the last time she saw her GP before she died.

In a written statement, Miss Keniry's mum said: "She was an incredibly empathetic young woman. She was a child of remarkable joy, of excitement."

She wrote that her daughter had been a talented singer, fond of music, who had travelled throughout Africa and also loved to play sports - particularly rugby.

Miss Keniry, who was born in South Africa, spent much of her childhood in Africa, particularly Botswana, before moving to Sheffield with her family.

Her mum added: "In Botswana her biracial heritage made her a bit unique. She was popular and part of things but nonetheless stood out."

Miss Keniry decided to pursue earth sciences and conservation at university, the inquest heard.

She was making plans for her future and wanted to join the Geological Society and continue her education to graduate level.

Her mum continued: "Her absence was felt the moment she departed for university and is felt even more strongly now.

"Anyone who knew Ashleigh is richer for it. Everyone is poorer for not having her in their lives. Everything she strived for will not be realised."

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Mrs Rawden said: "This was a young lady who was clearly struggling for some time with her mental health.

"She went a hotel and left a message behind and it's quite clear from that message that it would be taken as a goodbye.

"She sounds like a wonderful young lady and I'm sure her family are very proud of her and all she achieved in her life.

"I'm so sorry for your loss and I can't imagine what they are going through."

The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.

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