An inquest found that a senior teacher from a prep school attended once by Prince Charles committed suicide after being accused of sexual offences at an old school.
David Cageao, the ‘devastated” had been interview by police on the morning of his murder. The allegation was said to have occurred 12 years prior.
The head of English at the £30,000 a year Cheam School – where the Prince of Wales was a pupil for five years from the age of nine – hanged himself in a forest near his home in Newbury, Berkshire.
David Cageao was head of English at Cheam School, pictured, where the Prince of Wales attended in the late 1950s. Cageao (47) took his life following an interview by police regarding an allegation that he had a “serious sexual nature” while teaching in a Devon school between 2007-2008
Prince Charles, center, went to Cheam School as did his father, The Duke of Edinburgh.
According to a suicide note, the 47-year old said that his future looked dark and that he was likely to end up in prison. A coroner confirmed the claim.
Martin Harris, former headmaster at Cheam where the Duke of Edinburgh was also sent in September 2018 – had been married to his second wife.
The hearing was held in Winchester in Hampshire. It was informed that an allegation about him was made to Devon and Cornwall police in 2020. This was from his time as a teacher at a Devon school sometime in 2007 or 2008.
At the hearing, neither the school’s name nor the nature or alleged offense were revealed.
Inquest revealed that Mr Cageao’s suicide attempt was stopped by Mr Harris in October 8.
His widow, said that her husband was struggling but that he told friends and family that he would not do that again.
According to Mrs Cageao, “From the moment he learned of an allegation, it was instantly devastating, and immediately emotional affected in a very negative way.
“I believe that this continued until his passing. He had periods where he did well and times when he didn’t.
“He felt negatively affected and became increasingly concerned about the possible consequences for himself and our family.
Prince Charles, shown here, was a student at the school from nine years old.
Later, he was dismissed from his position at Berkshire School in February 2021.
An officer from the police had interrogated him on June 4th, according to inquest.
She made a statement to court and said that she was worried about him, but that he had assured her that everything was fine.
He promised to call his wife on the way home from Newbury to Exeter and to listen to a podcast.
The court was informed that he had spoken to Mrs Cageao around 4:30pm, sounding subdued.
She replied, “He was telling us that there was nothing more. He also said that they were asking him the same questions he’d been asked in the past.
“He told me it was over, but his tone wasn’t consistent with the things he was saying to me.”
Originally from New York, Mr. Cageo later text his wife at 9:45pm to tell her that he loved him to the very end.
His disappearance was reported and he was later found dead in the forest nearby his house.
According to the toxicology report, the teacher, who was a former teacher at Millfield Prep School in Glastonbury (Syria), had almost tripled the limit of alcohol consumption at the time of his passing.
The Hampshire Area Coroner Jason Pegg read extracts from the letter addressed to Julie. He said that he was worried about his future. There’s a good chance that I will end up in prison.
“I regret leaving you in this financial mess.”
Pegg said that Cageao had been a well-known member of the local teaching staff.
“He was a teacher for many years. I cannot prove it. It was an allegation. This was during his employment at a Devon school.
“He was charged with a serious sexual offense that would have occurred in 2008
“In 2020, these investigations were underway and the school where the he was teaching were made to aware of the allegations.
“He was then suspended and fired.
“He had low moods and high stress levels associated with his job.
‘On June 4… At 9:30pm, he sent a text message to his wife. He said that he loves his wife to the “end of numbers”.
“It appears to me that he sent that text message and had bought a whiskey bottle it seems from Sainsbury’s. It would appear that he was on his way to the forest.
“He ended his life.” He discussed the dark future, and said that he loved his children.
Mr Pegg sent condolences for Mr Cageao and his family. As the cause of his death, he listed suicide.
Nicholas Cageao is his brother and a musician from the USA. He set up Go Fund Me, which has raised $27216 so far to support his wife, Vand their two children.
- You can call the Samaritans anonymously at 116123, or stop by a Samaritans local branch. See www.samaritans.org for details