According to an inquest, a teenager refugee committed suicide after becoming addicted to alcohol and was traumatized by his friend’s suicide.
Alexander Tekle, from Eritrea, East Africa, was found dead in Mitcham, south London, in December 2017, less than a year after arriving in the UK and shortly after his 18th birthday, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard.
While staying at a hostel for adult asylum seekers in London, Alexander, known as Alex, was assaulted and stabbed in the street in a random attack, MyLondon reported.
Alexander, who was suffering from alcoholism, was said to have been stressed out by his uncertain immigration status. His girlfriend stated that he regretted ever having come to the UK.
Alexander Tekle (pictured), a man from Eritrea in East Africa was found murdered in south London on December 17, 2017, less than one year following his arrival in the UK.
His friends told the court they believed drinking was how he dealt with the trauma he had experienced, including his close friend’s suicide, who was also an Eritrean asylum seeker.
Alex witnessed children and women die while trekking in the desert of Eritrea. He then lived for about a year in Calais’ Jungle Camp.
Alex (17 years of age) was denied legal entry by the Home Office. Alex made his way into the UK in a car rented from a driver at the end 2016.
Luul Mohamed, his girlfriend, stated that Alex told her that people had died while walking in the desert.
Ms. Mohamed stated to the court that Alex suffered from alcoholism, and would turn ‘angry and violent’ after drinking. However, he is usually ‘calm’ and calm.
He was unable to get papers so he said he wasn’t sure about his immigration status.
Benny Hunter (left), who is a British volunteer for charity, claimed that Alex was found sleeping in Calais woods after he was refused asylum in the UK. After this, Alex arrived in Calais on the back of an lorry.
She said that he regrets ever having come to the UK. Alex believed that no one wanted to assist him.
In a statement, Alex’s father Tecle Sium Tesfamichel described his son, who wanted to be a professional cyclist, as a ‘loveable and sociable young man’ who was always ‘looking after other people’.
He said, “Although he did not say anything about his feelings, I believe he must be very afraid about the things he saw.”
He was so happy to have arrived in the UK towards the end 2016! His family was missing him so he told his sister that he would be joining him in the UK to attend school. He wanted to work and help us.
“When I think about Alex, the hopes for his UK life and how he died, it makes me feel very sad. The problems Alex faced in the UK was something I did not know about.
He said his devastated father that he didn’t fully understand the events surrounding Alex’s death and that he believed Alex would be “safe” in the UK.
He stated that he hoped the inquest would help him understand Alex’s tragic death, and to learn lessons to prevent similar events from occurring to young people.
Benny Hunter was also a British volunteer who made friends with Alex and testified before the court that Alex used Calais woods as a refugee when he was refused asylum in Britain.
According to Mr Hunter, he received a December 2016 police report that Alex was in fact traveling in a refrigerated truck and had been staying in Ashford, Kent, at an children’s immigration center.
Alexander (pictured), who was known as Alex was said to be struggling with alcoholism. He was also stressed out by his immigrant status and regretted ever having come to the UK.
An inquest revealed that Alex had lied to his social worker about turning 18 just a few months later. Official documents stated that Alex would have turned 18 by August.
After Kent social services declared it unsafe for Alex to remain in children’s housing, Alex was transferred to London’s hostel for adult asylum seekers.
After being assaulted in the hostel’s adult section, the teenager became homeless. He developed a drinking problem and was admitted to hospital on several occasions with hypoglycaemia – a low blood sugar level which can be caused by heavy drinking and not eating enough.
Alex’s inquiry is the fourth into suicides of four Eritrean asylum seeker who died in a period of 16 months.
Concerns were raised about how young refugee children are treated in Britain after their deaths. The boys were too old to be eligible for assistance and could not work.
Alex, Filmon Yemane (18 years old), Mulubrhane Mehane Kfleyosus (18 and Osman Ahmad Nur (16) all lost their lives. After being smuggled across Channel by Calais’ Jungle Camp.
Continue the inquest.
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