Welfare probes boy’s death

Press, 6 October 1988, Page 25

Welfare probes boy’s death

PA Auckland The Social Welfare Department is inquiring into the death of a teenager who was under its supervision in an Epsom home. The department placed the boy, aged 13, in the Youthlink home in May after he came to the attention of the police youth aid section. A District Court judge had ordered that he live there until May, 1989. He had spent nearly two years at the institution after the failure of several foster home trials. After he had attended a wedding with other residents and staff of the home, the youth was found hanging from his

own belt on the roof of the building. The home supervisor, Mr Warren Sadler, said the boy was known as a practical joker and atten-tion-seeker. He had been called down after climbing on the roof earlier in the day. Although the youth had threatened to commit suicide on previous occasions, social workers did not believe he was seriously considering such an Officials at the Social Welfare Department are preparing a report on events preceding the boy’s death, while police are gathering evidence for an inquest.