Grieving parents urge at-risk youngsters to speak out and get help

Harley Gillespie. Photo / Supplied

The parents of another Katikati College student who took his life a week after Michael Powell, have urged teenagers to be open about suicide.

Harley Gillespie, also 15, was found dead by his brother at their family home near Waihi Beach on April 26.

He knew Michael from school but they were not close friends.

At an inquest in October, coroner Peter Ryan ruled Harley's death was self-inflicted, but could not say for certain whether it was suicide or an accident.

Harley had told a friend in the year before his death he was contemplating suicide, but the friend did not believe him and didn't tell anyone, the inquest heard. That left Harley's family and other friends shocked by his death.

His parents Dianne and Philip said it was crucial for young people to tell someone if their friends were talking about suicide or self-harm.

"A life could be saved," said Dianne.

Text messages on Harley's phone showed he was aware of Michael's death.

But his "demeanour" and messages he sent soon before his death suggested no great cause for alarm, said Ryan.

He concluded: "The circumstances of Harley's death could be indicative of suicide or of an accident as a result of Harley experimenting."

Dianne said she and Philip felt a "sense of relief" when the inquest was over because the evidence supported what they knew of their son.

"Harley didn't intend to commit suicide. However, experimenting can and does lead to death."

The couple have met Michael's parents and support their requests for a review of the law.

And Philip urged people to be more open about suicide. "Unfortunately, because it is not talked openly, the message doesn't get out there.

"There are a lot of people who do it as a way of calling out for help, but don't realise how final it is," he said.