Mia Janin: Form tutor unaware girl was bullied before death, inquest told

Mia Janin died after her first day back at school following the lifting of Covid restrictions

The form tutor of a teenager believed to have killed herself after being made fun of in a group chat, has told an inquest he never saw her being bullied.

Mia Janin, 14, a pupil at the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kenton, north-west London, was found dead at her family home in Harrow in March 2021.

Teacher Alistair Davey told Barnet Coroner's Court he did not remember her standing out as being isolated.

Mia's father, Mariano Janin, believes she was targeted by other pupils.

Mr Davey told the inquest that Mia was a "quiet, thoughtful and considerate" girl and he was unaware of any group chats relating to her.

Mariano Janin believes Mia was bullied via a chat group

The inquest also heard that Mia's mother, Marisa Janin, had contacted the school to say her daughter was feeling lonely and isolated.

In one communication with staff, Ms Janin - who has since died - said Mia was upset at being one of the few children to "never have been invited to the bar mitzvahs of the girls in her class".

Rabbi Howard Cohen, former deputy head teacher at JFS, told the inquest that after Mia's death there was "some talk around the school" of what he described as "boys-only bravado groups" sharing images of girls.

• Boys made fun of Mia Janin before death, inquest told

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Rabbi Cohen, who was the pastoral lead at the school and responsible for safeguarding, was also made aware of a boys' WhatsApp group where members rated the "attractiveness" of female pupils.

But there was no reason to believe the groups related to Mia, Rabbi Cohen said.

The former deputy head teacher told the inquest he held a meeting with members of one of the group chats who then agreed to disband it.

He then held a Year 10 boys-only assembly advising pupils to remove themselves from any such groups, the inquest was told.

Police discovered two hand-written notes when Mia was found, one addressed to her parents, and another to her best friend, the inquest heard.

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