Stacey McConway’s message to her mother before she committed suicide at university in Wellington
A teenage university student told her mother and brother that she missed them but that she would “get through the term” before killing herself.
Stacey McConway was found dead in her student room at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand on July 27, 2018.
Friends had raised the alarm with a housing counselor after not hearing from the 19-year-old, who was struggling with her mental health, for two days.
In the days before her death, Mrs McConway spoke to her mother about her homesickness, but said she was determined to get through the term.
On July 25, she spoke to a male classmate in her room for four hours. He was the last person she spoke to.
Stacey McConway was found dead in her student room at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand on July 27, 2018.
The 19-year-old had a history of mental health problems since her father died in 2013
Ms McConway was seen by multiple mental health professionals between 2013 and 2017, following the death of her father, according to a coroner’s report released on Friday. NZ Herald reported.
In September 2017, months before Ms. McConway left for college, she overdosed on sleeping pills.
She denied wanting to end her life and said she just wanted to sleep.
After starting her criminal psychology studies in 2018, Ms. McConway contacted the campus doctor.
She explained that she had trouble sleeping, mood swings and depression as a result of her father’s death in 2013.
A week later she was back at the clinic and told the staff that she The anxiety had worsened, but her sleep was improving.
She also said that her friends were supportive and that she had no suicidal thoughts.
Mrs McConway met with the counseling service again on June 12 after her friends sought help from the university’s support team.
The teen said she was “handling everything” and suspected her friends may have overreacted.
The coroner’s report revealed that in the week before her death, Ms McConway had dropped several of her subjects and had had an argument with a friend.
The coroner found that although Mrs McConway was struggling with her mental health, there was no evidence of suicidal intent and added that she had appeared optimistic during her last telephone conversation with her mother.
Ms McConway’s mother has since set up the charity Adopt a Student, which aims to support students who are struggling at university.
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Ms McConway’s mother has since set up a charity, Adopt a Student, which helps students cope with difficulties at university