A 12-year-old girl named Angel Karanja took her own life after struggling with the transition to secondary school, where she often skipped classes and became increasingly withdrawn. She spent long hours playing Minecraft and watching YouTube videos on her phone, sleeping during the day and staying up late into the night. On March 17, her body was found hanging in her bedroom at home in Poole, Dorset, just after 7:30 AM. Her father reported that she had told a friend shortly before her death that she would "rather be in hell than at school."
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In March 2023, a 12-year-old girl named Angel Karanja took her own life after struggling to adjust to Cornerstone Academy in Hamworthy, Poole. Described as a "model student" at primary school, Angel found the transition to secondary education difficult and began skipping classes. She told one friend shortly before her death that she would rather be in hell than go to school. As her mental health declined, Angel spent increasing amounts of time playing Minecraft and watching YouTube videos on her phone until she became almost nocturnal. Her father testified at the Bournemouth inquest that Angel had been receiving messages on Snapchat as late as 5am on the day she died but left no suicide note or indication to friends about her intentions. The Dorset coroner recorded a narrative conclusion stating her death was due to ligature suspension without explaining her intent.
Written for “School Pressure Suicide Inquest” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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A 12-year-old girl took her own life after struggling at a new school and becoming 'almost nocturnal' as she stayed up at night on her phone, an inquest has heard.
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inquest → see → phone
Angel Karanja, who was described as a 'model student' at primary school, found the transition to Cornerstone Academy in Hamworthy, Poole, 'difficult'.
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transition → describe → Hamworthy
She skipped a lot of classes and told one friend shortly before she died on March 17 that she would 'rather be in hell than at school'.
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she → skip → school
As she became more 'withdrawn', Angel spent more time playing the game Minecraft and watching YouTube videos on her phone.
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Angel → become → phone
Her father, Eliud Matindi, told his daughter's inquest in Bournemouth that she became 'almost nocturnal' due to her phone use.
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she → tell → use
After her body was found in her bedroom at home in Poole, Dorset, at 7.30am, police discovered Angel had been receiving messages on Snapchat as late as 5am that morning.
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Angel → find → am
A search of her Samsung phone and tablet found no evidence of cyber bullying or searches relating to suicide.
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search → find → suicide
Angel left no note and had not informed any friends of her intentions, the inquest heard.
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inquest → leave → intentions
She had joined the 600-pupil secondary school the year before and her struggles affected her grades.
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struggles → join → grades
Angel Karanja, 12, took her own life after struggling at a new school, an inquest has heard
Angel found the transition to Cornerstone Academy (pictured) in Hamworthy, Poole, 'difficult'
Mr Matindi told the inquest: 'Angel was the light of all our lives and she brightened every single day.
'
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she → take → lives
We have so many wonderful memories of her.
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We → have → her
She was a model student at primary school and never got into trouble and was polite to everyone.
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She → get → everyone
'But I would describe her transition to her new school as difficult.
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I → describe → school
It was much larger and she was very reluctant to attend.
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she → attend → ?
She missed a lot of classes and her academic performance was affected.
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performance → miss → classes
'As she got older I noticed she became more withdrawn and spent more and more time on the phone watching YouTube and playing games.
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she → get → games
I would describe her as almost nocturnal and she slept through the day.
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she → describe → day
'When she was in her room she would spend all her time on Minecraft.'
On the morning of her death, the father said he called up to his daughter shortly after 7.30am to tell her to get up for school.
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he → spend → school
After getting no response on three separate occasions, he went upstairs and found Angel hanged in her bedroom.
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Angel → get → bedroom
He called 999 and paramedics arrived but declared her dead at the scene.
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her → call → scene
Mr Matindi said: 'I shouted up to her it was time to get up three times.
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it → say → her
'But there was no response so I walked up the stairs and I found her hanging.
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her → be → stairs
Angel's body was found in her bedroom at home in Poole, Dorset, at 7.30am on March 17
'
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body → find → March
She will forever be missed by us all.'
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She → miss → us
He said he thought his daughter had 'turned a corner' as her attendance had improved and she had made a group of friends in Year 8.
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she → say → Year
School friends of Angel were interviewed by police and one claimed she had been bullied by a group of girls at a sleepover.
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she → interview → sleepover
Another told officers: 'She said she would rather be in hell than at school.'
Dorset coroner Brendan Allen recorded a narrative conclusion that she died as a consequence of ligature suspension.
He added: 'Her intention is not explained by the evidence.'
For confidential support, call Samaritans for free on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
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intention → tell → https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
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