Inquest into Essex teenager Layla Ahangari concludes in Chelmsford

An inquest into the death of Layla Ahangari, who was known to her friends and foster family as Layla Blake, was held at Essex Coroner’s Court on Monday.

Miss Ahangari, who was 17, had been placed into foster care when she was an infant and was raised in Southminster by foster parents Richard and Sylvia Blake.

Miss Ahangari is last believed to have been seen on February 8 when she and friend Jay Onslow took the bus from Chelmsford College, where she was studying, to Southminster.

Loved - an image of Layla Ahangari (Image: Public)

She did not return to the family home that evening and did not show up to Writtle University College to meet friends as expected the next day.

Her family reported her missing at 3.35am on February 10.

Miss Ahangari was found in nearby woodland, known as Orchard Meadow, in the early hours of February 12.

Essex Police did not deem Miss Ahangari as high risk when she disappeared, despite the fact her actions were out of character and she was vulnerable because she was under 18.

Inquest - area coroner for Essex Lincoln Brookes held an inquest into the death of 17-year-old Layla Ahangari on Monday (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Chief Insp Paul Ballard admitted to the coroner the “level of service was not of the highest standard”, and read out a report which set out how the police oversaw the investigation into Miss Ahangari’s disappearance.

He said: “There were several witnesses spoken to over the phone, meaning information was not always acquired and the right questions were not always asked.

“During this investigation the family were calling, asking for updates. There were some occasions when they weren’t contacted for significant periods of time.

“There were items left at the scene which caused confusion to the investigation.”

Coroner Lincoln Brookes said Miss Ahangari had died “long before she was reported missing”.

He ruled she had died on February 8 as a result of suicide.

Miss Ahangari’s father, Richard Blake, said it had felt as if the family was doing the investigating.

He said: “I still fell that as a family were left out in the cold, to be honest with you.

"I didn’t feel the police were particularly interested in the situation, despite the fact that we felt at one point we were doing most of the investigation work – we were feeding huge amounts of information to the police as opposed to them feeding that to us.”

Mr Blake added: “I also accept you guys are under a massive amount of pressure and thank you for what you have done."

Anyone can contact Samaritans free of charge on 116 123, 24 hours a day, if they feel they are struggling with their mental health.