‘Happy’ girl, 12, took fatal overdose after making sex assault claim – as tearful mum tells inquest ‘it destroyed her’
A "HAPPY" schoolgirl, 12, took a fatal overdose after making a sexual assault claim - her heartbroken mum old an inquest "it destroyed her".
Semina Halliwell tragically died in hospital on June 12 2021, after the tragedy unfolded at her home in Southport, Merseyside.
At an inquest at Bootle Town Hall on Monday, her devastated mum Rachel Halliwell said her daughter had been a "happy little girl".
But she began to self harm after starting at Stanley High School.
In March 2021 Semina told her mum she had been sexually assaulted in January that year.
Ms Halliwell wept as she told the coroner's court: "It destroyed her mentally, physically. She changed into a different person."
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The grief-stricken mum recalled how her daughter withdrew her complaint after making a report to the police, because "she felt like she wasn't believed".
She continued: "I think to say to a 12-year-old child 'it is going to take 18 months to two years to go to court, do you really want it hanging over your head' and 'it's your word against his' is not what any woman or child who has been through sexual assault or rape needs to hear and she was 12 with autism."
Ms Halliwell told the inquest Semina was not supported enough by the police, social services or her school.
Harriet Johnson, representing the family, asked what difference there might have been if Semina had more support.
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Ms Halliwell said: "She'd still be here today."
After the 12-year-old made an allegation of sexual assault, her mum said she endured emotional and even physical bullying at school.
But, Semina ultimately decided to go ahead with her complaint.
She was due to be interviewed by police in June, the inquest was told.
Ms Halliwell said: "She was determined to do this but in the mean time we have got all this chaos going on in school, outside of our home and she just couldn't cope."
Before taking a fatal overdose, Semina was downstairs in her home with police, to review CCTV footage.
She told them "I've had enough of this", and her mum thought she was referring to having officers in the house.
Semina's brother tragically found her upstairs having taken an overdose.
She was rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool and died there on June 12, 2021.
In a statement which was read to the court, consultant paediatrician Mark Deakin said Semina had asked him if she was going to die.
She told him two days before her death that she regretted overdosing.
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The schoolgirl said she took them to "make her sleep for a couple of days";.
The inquest is listed to last for seven days.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
