Mum of river death teen suspects others involved

Jonty Evans was found dead in the River Weaver, Nantwich, on 1 September 2024

The mother of a teenager whose body was found in a river has told his inquest she believes other people were involved in his death.

Jonty Evans, 16, was found in the River Weaver in Nantwich, Cheshire, on 1 September, after being reported missing the previous day.

Martina Cliffe told Cheshire Coroner's Court she could hear her son calling for help in home security footage she had reviewed via property near the site, and that she was aware of people "plotting" to frame him over drugs matters.

Det Sgt Emily Cole from Cheshire Police told the hearing the force was unable to either rule in or rule out third-party involvement amid a lack of clear evidence surrounding the teenager's demise.

Area coroner Victoria Davies heard Jonty visited Nantwich Food Festival on the afternoon of 30 August with his brother and a friend.

Ms Cliffe said she arranged to pick up her boys at 22:30 BST, but Jonty had wanted to stay out and said he would stop over at his friend's house.

She said he had seemed fine when she spoke to him on the phone, although she could tell he had drunk alcohol and was "merry".

When he had not returned home by the following afternoon, she contacted police to report him missing.

The court heard the teenager was last seen on CCTV shortly before 01:00 BST on 31 August entering Mill Island park, near the junction of Mill Street.

As to the cries of help she referenced, Ms Cliffe told the court that police did not "hear what I hear" in the audio recorded at a home near to the park on Riverside. "They find it inaudible," she said.

She claimed the same audio source also revealed her son's name being mentioned in connection with £8,000 of drugs stolen that day.

"They're plotting and it's all over drugs," she said. "They want to get away with these drugs so they're blaming my son.

She added she could hear Jonty's voice calling "help, help, help".

She told the court: "As a mother I can recognise his voice, I can recognise him retaliating. I don't know if he's fighting or just shouting and screaming," she said.

A cause of death did not emerge in court during Monday's proceedings.

Ms Cliffe told the inquest she believed pathology evidence revealing dirt lodged in her son's fingernails was proof "he was grabbing at soil" when he went into the river.

"That's why I think there were other people involved," she said.

She added she had identified suspects based on recordings made at her son's grave via recording equipment she left there, which, she said, she intended to pass on to police.

She stated her "bubbly, happy" son's mood had not changed prior to his death.

'Rumours and hearsay'

Det Sgt Cole told the court that witnesses and CCTV suggested Jonty shared a bottle of gin on the day in question, shoplifting the alcohol with a friend. He was later seen drinking vodka, the officer said.

She said investigations focused on three possible hypotheses: That Jonty had entered the water due to a third party; slipped in due to intoxication; or gone in intentionally.

She said police had followed up on local "rumours" into the involvement of a third party, speaking to more than 180 people and reviewing 420 hours of CCTV footage, but concluded "it was literally hearsay".

She added there was nothing at the scene suggesting evidence of a struggle, or that Jonty had slipped.

"The pathology report indicated no injuries and his clothing had not been ripped," she said.

In addition, inquiries were unable to connect the audio and video footage highlighted by Ms Cliffe to Jonty's death, she said.

Two teenagers previously arrested on suspicion of assault following an altercation with Jonty earlier in the evening were released after they were found to be nowhere near the river during the night, the officer confirmed.

Jonty was last seen entering the Mill Island area of Nantwich just before 01:00 on 31 August

Ms Davies said: "I understand, while not able to rule out third party involvement because there's no clear evidence about what happened after Jonty entered the park, you can't rule it in, you can't rule it out?"

The officer confirmed that was true and added a number of witness appeals had failed to identify anybody else in the park at a similar time.

The court also heard the teenager had been arguing with his girlfriend on the phone over a video which appeared to show him kissing or hugging another girl.

His girlfriend told police he sounded "strange" and "rambling" and seemed drunk.

The fact-finding inquest, which will not establish civil or criminal liability, is due to conclude on Wednesday after pathology evidence.