Teenage daughter found hanged

Rowena France was found dead in October at the home she shared with her mother Jacqueline, father Andy and 14-year-old sister Alex, near Holmfirth, Huddersfield.

Speaking before the hearing, Mrs France said Rowena, who had been a successful triathlete in her early teens, died following a two-year battle with the eating disorder bulimia.

She said: "She was anorexic for a year when she was 11 and then we had a few years of her being happy and then this started. We don't know why.

"She suffered from bulimia for two years and in the last 12 months she had depression as well.

"If someone came to the door she could put on a happy face even if she wasn't happy.

"We never thought she would take her own life."

The family did not attend an inquest into her death in Huddersfield yesterday at which Coroner Roger Whittaker recorded a verdict that she took her own life.

The hearing was told Rowena had had previous problems and had been prescribed anti-depressants but in the month prior to her death had attended a review of her medication and had said she felt better and had gone to college.

But on October 14 this year Rowena said she was not going to attend college, her sister was also at home as she was ill.

Rowena told her sister she was going to bed but when their mother went to look in her bedroom later that day she was not in her room.

Mr Whittaker told the hearing: "On entering her and her husband's bedroom she tragically found her hanging from a ligature." A note, written by Rowena, was found at the scene.

Rowena was studying art, English, French and Italian at college.

Speaking after her death the principal at Greenhead College, Martin Rostron, said: "Rowena was a very talented linguist. She was a very likeable young lady and was involved with preparations for the Christmas production."