A 14-year-old boy died after hanging himself in his bedroom, an inquest heard.

But the coroner could not conclude suicide because it could not be proven that Brandon Warren intended to take his own life.

Brandon suffered mental health problems from the age of six and expressed suicidal thoughts.

But Eileen Sproson, assistant coroner for Central and South East Kent, said he could have been hoping to be found in time.

Brandon was found at his home at Terrace Road, Elvington, last October 23. He was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford but died there.

The inquest at the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone heard Brandon's mother looked in on him at 11am that day and found him asleep.

She went to the shops with his younger step-brother and when she returned saw Brandon hanging, cut him down and dialled 999.

Mrs Sproson said: "To reach a conclusion that he intended to take his own life I have to be sure that he did a deliberate act with the consequences that he would die.

"There is no evidence that he intended that consequence of using that ligature would be his own death.

"He might have wanted someone to find him... it could have been a cry for help" - Assistant coroner Eileen Sproson

"It may have been he was trying to see what would happen, he might have wanted someone to find him, he may not have realised that his mother had gone to the shops or it could have been a cry for help."

Mrs Sproson gave a narrative conclusion, that Brandon suspended himself but the question of his intent was unclear.

Brandon, who was born in Ashford, had been referred to mental health health professionals from the age of 11 and self-harmed.

Multiple lines were evident on his forearms. He had mood changes, inability to sleep and loss of appetite.

Det Sgt Jeremy Clarke said that police had found Brandon's mobile phone in his room and there had been texts to a female mentioning suicide.

He said police had concluded that there were no suspicious circumstances.

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