Coroner’s Inquest on the deaths of Ryan and Alison Davies

On April 12th, 41-year-old Alison Davies took her 12-year-old son Ryan, who has Fragile X, by train from their home and helped her son onto the railings of the Humber Bridge. As reported in the Daily Mail today, “he put his arms above his head and rolled forward into the river,” after which Ms. Davies followed. The last moments of Alison and Ryan Davies were caught on video by CCTV.

The Daily Mail also noted that Ms. Davies “loved him dearly but as he grew older and stronger, she feared she would be unable to cope, and was determined he should not be taken into care.” Family members had talked about putting Ryan into a residential placement, but, as her brother-in-law Andrew Cook noted “‘That just wasn’t what Alison wanted at all.’”

Coroner Geoffrey Saul has ruled that Ryan was “unlawfully killed.” Ms. Davies had had a history of despression and had attmpted suicide three times before, first when she was 11 years old.

GP Dr Andrew Johnson said her depression had deteriorated when she split from her husband and she found it difficult to look after Ryan, who demanded constant attention from her.

The inquest heard Miss Davies made a 999 call on her mobile half an hour before her suicide. It was dealt with by a Birmingham-based call centre operator. Miss Davies told the operator where she was, that she was with her son and asked them to tell her family so they would not worry.

The operator passed on the information to police but did not give the location. Police followed it up by trying to call the number back, but the call went unanswered.

Dr Johnson said it was possible that Ryan was not pushed, as had been suggested in a police report.

‘I suspect he would not have had an idea of the potential danger he was in,’ he said. ‘It is entirely possible Ryan jumped off the bridge unaware of any danger to his life.’

It is “possible,” but what is the proof that Ryan was “unaware of any danger” to his life?