[Callum]

Another Bridgend teen found hanged

THE Bridgend suicide death toll rose to 17 yesterday after a schoolgirl was found hanging from a tree.

A shocked dog-walker stumbled across the lifeless body of pretty Jenna Parry, 16, while out for an early morning stroll at a beauty spot.



She is the 17th person aged under 27 to be found hanged in the Bridgend area since the start of last year.

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Morris told a press conference today: “She had apparently taken her own life.”

He said a review into teenage suicides in the county borough area was on-going but added: “We have found no suggestion of any suicide pact."

But when pressed, he added: “It is exceptional in terms of being a cluster of young people who have apparently taken their own lives, all in the borough area.”

Last night a link emerged between Jenna’s death and that of a previous suicide victim.

Jenna’s best friend Jessica, 16, was the cousin of Zachery Barnes, 17, who was found dead six months ago.

All three were close friends for two years before Zachery’s death.

Jessica’s mother Lisa Jones said yesterday: “I only saw her last night at about 7pm and she was laughing and giggling, without a care in the world.


“That’s the sort of person she was. She had everything to live for - this is just so awful. I can’t understand what is going on around here.

“The girls took Zachery’s death very hard. It is all very tragic and impossible to explain.”

Jenna’s friend Daniel John, 20, said: “It has been an absolute shock.

“She was so bubbly and carefree, I can’t imagine why she would take her own life.

“She loved butterflies and was very girly. She loved pop music and dance music.

“I last spoke to her yesterday and she seemed normal - perfectly fine. I can’t get my head around why she has done this.”

Jenna has her own personal pages on teenage social networking site Bebo - as did many of the others who have died.

Police are expected to examine her computer but sources say there is no immediate link between her death and controversial suicide websites.

Another friend, Rachel White, 16, said she believed Jenna might have known several others of the tragic 17 who have died.

She said: “Her Bebo site will probably be turned into a memorial site as well. It is really hard to get your head around it - I can’t believe she is gone.”


Her heartbroken father Paul, 44, said: “We are all traumatised and are too upset to talk about it.”

Jenna lived with her father, mother Anne, 39, and two brothers in an end-of-terrace house in the quiet village which is part of the Bridgend area.

Her body was found just before 8am yesterday by dog-walker Michael Bennett on the common less than half a mile from her home.

Security guard Mr Bennett, 61, said: “It was so shocking to find this poor young girl hanging from this tree.

“I feel shaken to the core by this. Why are youngsters around here doing this?

“I can’t understand it at all. People of my generation can’t explain it all - what is going on around here.

“They need to talk to people like their family not spend all their time on computers or watching television. I feel so sad for her and her family.”

Mr Bennett was walking his border collie dog Max in a woodland patch known as the Snake Pit on Cefn Cribbwr common - a popular walking spot in the Bridgend area.

He added: “I must have been first on the common this morning and I imagine she was there from last night. She was so young and it is so horrible to die alone like that.”

Police and politicians in Bridgend were yesterday maintaining the 17 apparent suicides - all by hanging - are not linked.

All the victims hanged themselves in the apparent suicide spate which started in January 2007.

The full death register is Dale Crole, 18, David Dilling, 19, Thomas Davies, 20, Zachery Barnes, 17, Gareth Morgan, 27, James Knight, 26, Jason Williams, 21, Andrew O’Neill, 19, Leigh Jenkins, 22, Liam Clarke, 20, Alan Price, 21, Luke Goodridge, 20, Natasha Randall, 17, Angie Fuller, 18, Kelly Stephenson, 20, and Nathaniel Pritchard, 15.

A special task force has been set up in Bridgend involving police, social services, health and education officials.

South Wales Police have brought in their Major Crime Support unit to investigate the suicides.

A report on the latest hanging will be compiled for Bridgend coroner Philip Walters who has a backlog of suicides dating back a year.

What do you think of this case?
I'm shocked by it all and think something needs to be done urgently.