Talented footballer found hanged in garage by mum, inquest hears (From Sutton Guardian)

Talented footballer found hanged in garage by mum, inquest hears

9:28am Thursday 1st November 2012 in News By Hannah Williamson

A talented footballer was found hanged in his garage by his mother, an inquest heard.

Sean Geary had told his mother he would not be going to college because he felt unwell.

When she returned to their home in Priory Crescent, Cheam, after work on February 8, last year, she looked for the popular 17-year-old.

Reading the evidence of PC Don Williams, Coroner Roy Palmer said: “She [Sean’s mother] said she went into the kitchen and could see a light flickering in the garage through the door, and she thought it was the television.

“She said she thought she would find Sean in there because he sometimes played his Xbox in there.

“When she entered the garage the television was on but she couldn’t see Sean.

“She went to turn off the television and when she turned her back to switch the light on she saw him hanging from the roof beam.”

An investigation by police determined that there were no suspicious circumstances about Sean’s death and no note explaining his actions was found.

An autopsy carried out by Dr Peter Wilkins found a ligature around Sean’s neck and gave the cause of death as carotid body compression.

Sean had trained as a footballer with AFC Wimbledon and signed in September 2010 to play for Chessington and Hook United.

The former Cheam High School and Cheam Fields Primary School pupil had made his debut for Chessington and Hook’s reserve team just three days before he died.

More than 1,700 people joined a Facebook tribute page in memory of the trainee electrician in the weeks after his death.

Dozens of his friends also held a four-day vigil outside his house.

Returning an open verdict, Dr Palmer, told the teenager’s uncle and aunt, who attended the inquest at Bromley Civic Centre: “There was no note so I have nothing to help me, though I have no evidence it was an accident.

“On the evidence I have, I am not satisfied he intended to end his life, so I will return an open verdict. I am extremely sorry that you lost Sean in such sad circumstances.”