Coroner: Girl's suicide 'yet another tragic death'

The suicide of a 16-year-old Porirua girl is yet another example of a "tragic death of a young person", Wellington's coroner says.

Ian Smith released his findings today into the death on February 16 of Tracy Junior Emily McGregor, which he found was the result of suicide.

"This is yet another tragic death of a young person who has clearly had a very difficult childhood and has had difficulty dealing with life," his report said.

He found it was clear Ms McGregor lacked the "nurturing environment of her own family and that this has seriously impacted on her wellbeing and that in a moment of desperation she has ended her life".

"The environment that young people like Tracy have to face is a blight on our family values and has grown significantly over the last 30 years in New Zealand," Mr Smith said.

Ms McGregor's father left her family when she was six.

In August 2008 Ms McGregor was arrested for robbery.

She was diagnosed as suffering from distress and other mental health issues.

"She said she felt unwanted and unloved by her mother and family and that the only important people in her life that prevented her from committing suicide were her sister and her boyfriend," Mr Smith said.

From August, Ms McGregor was in the care of several different people.

Attempts by CYF and Capital and Coast District Health Board to hold meetings with Ms McGregor and her mother were unsuccessful, Mr Smith said.

However by March 2009, she had formed a good relationship with her boyfriend's mother and applied to be independent from her caregiver.

CYF closed Ms McGregor's file on March 17 2009, 11 months before her death, as tests had confirmed her wellbeing was stable.

The health board's child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) closed its file a month earlier.

"It is clear that both CYF and CAMHS had tried to assist with her wellbeing, but to a degree had been thwarted in this process," Mr Smith said.

- NZPA