Suicide victim toll continues to rise in tragic Bridgend

A TEENAGER was yesterday found dead in a county hit by a spate of suicides.

The 19-year-old was found in Bettws, near the town of Bridgend, South Wales, police said.

The man, named locally as Shaun Rees, was found hanging by his family after going missing on a night out with friends.

He is believed to be the 19th person to have taken their lives in the county of Bridgend since the beginning of 2007.

Police Inspector Marion Stevenson said: “South Wales Police can confirm the sudden death of a 19-year-old male in the Bettws area of Bridgend at around 7.30am on Sunday, April 20.

“There do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances and an investigation is under way.”

A South Wales Ambulance Service spokes-woman said they were called to a house in Bettws, in the county of Bridgend, but did not take anyone to hospital.

It is the second such death this month. Michelle Sheldon, 23, from the Cardiff area, died after being found hanging at her boyfriend’s house in Bridgend on April 6.

It is thought that the body of the 19-year-old was found in a lane running behind Heol Dewi Sant in Bettws.

A local councillor for the area, Christopher Michaelidis said: “I would like to offer my condolences to the family, as they must be absolutely devastated, and his friends and associates.

“He was a happy-go-lucky boy. I am shocked by his death because it seemed he had everything to live for.

“He had recently got a job at Sainsbury’s, had passed his driving test and got a car. He seemed to have everything to live for, so this is very strange indeed.

“He wasn’t a person to take drugs or smoke, so what happened I don’t know.”

Mr Michaelidis said the situation with the number of recent deaths in the county was “getting out of hand”.

Chief Inspector Simon Belcher, of Bridgend Police Station, said: “This is a tragic loss of life which will be devastating for the family and friends of the deceased and our thoughts are with them.

“We would ask the media to respect the family’s wishes to be left in peace to grieve at this sad and difficult time.”

South Wales Police said the death is not being linked to other “sudden deaths” in Bridgend.

An investigation is being carried out on behalf of the local coroner.

All the previous victims hanged themselves in the apparent suicide spate which started in January 2007.

They include: Dale Crole, 18; David Dilling, 19; Thomas Davies, 20; Zachery Barnes, 17; Gareth Morgan, 27; Anthony Martin, 19; James Knight, 26; Jason Williams, 21; Andrew O’Neill, 19; Leigh Jenkins, 22; Liam Clarke, 20; Allyn Price, 21; Natasha Randall, 17; Angie Fuller, 18; Kelly Stephenson, 20; Nathaniel Pritchard, 15; Jenna Parry, 16; and Ms Sheldon.