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Child star Mya-Lecia Naylor, 16, hanged herself over 'exam stress' after she was grounded for low grades: Inquest

The CBBC star passed away in April this year when she was starring alongside Emily Atack and Tess Daly on the hit TV show Almost Never.
UPDATED APR 1, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

16-year-old Mya-Lecia Naylor was suffering from "exam stress" before she hanged herself in a marquee at her family residence in London, an inquest has heard.

The CBBC star passed away in April this year when she was starring alongside Emily Atack and Tess Daly on the hit TV show 'Almost Never', The Sun reports.

Mya died by misadventure after hanging herself at her family home in South Norwood, an inquest into her death ruled on Monday, September 9. According to the report, Mya's parents had received a phone call from her school before she sat for her GCSEs saying her grades were lower than expected.

The teenager was subsequent grounded and banned from attending a party on April 6, and spent the night watching a movie with her family that featured a scene of suicide, the court heard.

The following day, at around 10 am, her mother found her unconscious and suffering a cardiac arrest before she rushed her to the hospital. She was pronounced dead an hour and a half later.

Addressing the South London Coroners Court, father Martin Naylor revealed he had been on a "Daddy-Daughter" day with Mya after he realized she had "not been her normal self."

"Mya was due to go back to shoot the second series of Almost Never. She was excited," he said. "She did like school. She seemed to be quite happy. She left the house without permission the week before so we grounded her.

"The school had also called regarding her grades," Martin recalled. "She was very clever but she could be doing better. She said a month before she was stressed about her exams."

Martin said he had seen his daughter before the tragic discovery and recalled she was "not happy."

Nonetheless, her embattled father has called her death a "silly mistake", saying she had never spoken about harming herself before. "I honestly believe she was just making some sort of point," he said. "I genuinely believe she did not mean to do it. It was a silly spur of the moment thing."

"She was keen to get back to the acting," the devastated father continued. "Other than the worry from the school, she was a happy child. She had everything she wanted to have. I don't think that the exams warranted that reaction. We had said to her GCSEs are important but nothing is as important as you. Don't get too stressed about it. It's not worthy of being too stressed."

"I believe it was a spur of the moment silliness," he added.

No evidence of drugs or alcohol was found in her system, per a toxicology report, and authorities did not find anything suspicious on her phone, laptop, or social media accounts.

Toby Watkin, the assistant coroner, ruled the teenager died by misadventure and that she "did not intend to end her own life."

Following the tragedy, her heartbroken family paid tribute to the "beautiful and talented" Mya. "For those who do not yet know my firstborn and absolute joy of my life Mya-Lecia passed away on Sunday 7th April age 16," Martin said at the time. "I cannot begin to express the pain and heartbreak we are feeling at this sudden loss of our perfect baby girl!"

"She was the one who could always make me laugh no matter how difficult the situation," he continued. "Even now in this dark time, I know the thought of her and joy she still brings me will pull me through. Love you Baby girl."

The child star's sudden demise left several family members and co-stars shocked in grief.

"So shocked and sad to hear about lovely Mya-Lecia Naylor," her co-star Emily Atack wrote on Instagram. "She was a beautiful and talented girl. A complete joy to be around on the set of Almost Never. Sending all my love to her family & friends. Rest in peace beautiful girl."

Mya began her acting career rather early, playing Saffy's daughter Jane in Absolutely Fabulous when she was just one-year-old.

The teenager shot to fame as she grew up, starring on the big screen alongside Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in 'Cloud Atlas' in 2012.

Furthermore, she was popular as Fran, the star of hit British sitcom 'Millie Inbetween'.

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