How Could You? Hall of Shame-Wales-Seren Rhylie Matthews case-Child Death

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

A 2021 case has come to light.

From Carmel, Wales, foster child Seren Rhylie Matthews killed herself on September 30, 2021.

“Police were called to the address at around 8am [on September 30, 2021] and the teen was pronounced dead a short time later.

Coroner’s officer, Malcolm Thompson, said Seren was placed in foster care in Carmarthenshire having been relocated from the Bridgend area.

She had gone to Ysgol Bro Dinefwr secondary school in Llandeilo.

The inquest heard evidence from Seren’s foster carer that she was “very anxious” about not having any friends at the start of term and had been too anxious to get on the school bus.

The school had made efforts to support Seren and integrate her into classes, including “buddying her up” with another pupil, WalesOnline reports.

She initially settled in well but it was a recurring theme that she found attending school “very hard”, the inquest heard.

The night before she was found dead, Seren’s foster carer recalled there had been “nothing out of the ordinary” concerning her behaviour.

She had called out to Seren asking her asking if she wanted to have a bath or go to the toilet before another person living there went to use the bathroom.

She replied “no” and some time later everyone went to bed and it was thought Seren had gone to sleep.

The foster carer said she “screeched” when she found her the following morning before leaving the room to call the emergency services.

They pronounced Seren dead when they arrived and notes were found in the room which were addressed to a number of people.

Assistant coroner, Paul Bennett, said: “There were no warning signs. It is not for me to speculate what thought processes were going in Seren’s mind during the evening of September 29, 2021.

“It is clear in my view, whatever they were, that she decided to embark on a course of action that would potentially result in her sad death.”

He returned a conclusion of suicide.”

Schoolgirl found dead after being placed into foster care
[Birmingham Mail 9/23/25 by Robert Dalling and Isabelle Bates]

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