After being wrongly told that she had failed her exams, a university student committed suicide. An inquest was held.
Mared Foulkes, 21 years old, was from Anglesey, North Wales. She fell from the Britannia Bridge, which is located over the Menai Strait.
The Cardiff University student was in the second year of her study in pharmaceuticals. She had previously worked part time in a pharmacy for several decades.
Today’s Caernarfon Inquest [Oct 28]Miss Foulkes was informed by the university that she had received an automated email hours before her death informing her that she had failed her resit exam and would not be continuing to her third year.
One email claimed she had failed with a score 39 percent, but she actually passed with 62 percent.
The 39% was due to a previous exam she failed on March 26, and not the resit exam she took – and passed- – on April 24,
Mared Foulkes (pictured), 21, of Anglesey in north Wales, died after falling from the Britannia Bridge above the Menai Strait.
Professor Mark Gumbleton, Head of School, told the inquest there were ‘lessons always to be learned’ following Miss Foulkes’s death in relation to the ‘confusing’ way students receive their results.
Iona Foulkes spoke during the inquest and stated that her mother felt it was ‘plain an simple’ that her daughter’s actions that day were a result of receiving an email form Cardiff University.
Mrs Foulkes stated, “She received an automated email – it was nothing personal – no telephone call, nothing.
She believed she had failed and received an email saying she couldn’t continue with her degree.
‘She was dedicated to her pharmacy work and to her course. She would have been horrified.
“She would have felt that all her dreams and aspirations were over with that sentence – it’s incredible for a 21 year old.”
The mother-of-2 said that she felt Miss Foulkes should have been in touch with the course tutor directly regarding the results. She also believes that parents of students should be informed about when the exam results are due.
Miss Foulkes was forced to complete her education online after the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the inquest, Miss Foulkes had gone to Rowlands Pharmacy in Caernarfon to work that morning after going for a run. She had then returned home to eat dinner with her brother and parents at 6pm.
She then told her mom that she was going to Tesco Bangor to buy ingredients for a cheesecake the next day.
The Britannia Bridge over the Menai Strait where Mared Foulkes fell to her death after receiving an email that incorrectly stated she had failed her exams
Miss Foulkes left the house shortly after she had left and drove to Britannia Bridge. This bridge connects Anglesey and Bangor.
She was seen walking to the side, leaving her vehicle, and then ‘disappearing’.
Mrs Foulkes claimed that her daughter didn’t mention the fact that she was due for results that day or that she received an email announcing that she wasn’t successful.
She also stated that Miss Foulkes had not shown any signs of feeling down in the days leading to her death, but had been disturbed by her grandmother’s recent death.
Anwen Jones witnessed the incident as she drove onto Anglesey along with her 10-year old son. She said Miss Foulkes seemed to show ‘no hesitation in her actions’.
Ms Jones said that Ms Jones was able to move quickly and without thinking.
“She just vanished.”
The public called the emergency services but Miss Foulkes was declared dead at the scene.
Later, a post-mortem examination revealed that she suffered a fatal head injury from the fall.
Inquest heard Mared Foulkes (pictured) had sought support from student support services before her death, but it was not believed she posed any risk to herself or others.
Prior to taking her own life, Miss Foulkes had texted one of her housemates about the results saying: ‘I did c**p’.
Inquest heard that Miss Foulkes had sought assistance from student support services before her death, but it was not believed that she posed any risk to herself or others.
Katie Sutherland, acting senior Coroner, concluded Miss Foulkes had hoped for death as the result of her actions.
Ms. Sutherland stated, “On the morning of her suicide Mared had received her examination results.
“One email indicated that she hadn’t completed the year.
‘Mared climbed onto the bridge ledge and was seen jumping off the ledge. A walker found her beneath the bridge.
“There is no evidence that she fell, tripped, or slipped by accident.
‘Mared did not seek help from a GP for low mood, and there were no suicide note.
“She did not report any suicidal thoughts when she sought student support in 2019, but she did appear to be distressed and admitted that self-harm was something she was doing.
Evidence suggests that she placed herself on the ledge, and then walked determinedly from the car to the ledge.
“I don’t have any evidence that she jumped, but I feel she stepped off the bridge.
“I don’t consider this a cry for help.
“I do believe she intended to end her life. I will return a conclusion of suicidal suicide.”