Teenage refugee found dead in his flat by his social worker in Milton Keynes

A teenage Eritrean refugee looked after by social workers since he was a child took his own life in his Milton Keynes flat, an inquest hearing has been told.
Mulubrhane Medhane Kfleyosus, 19, was found hanging in February in the flat social services had found for him on Oxley ParkMulubrhane Medhane Kfleyosus, 19, was found hanging in February in the flat social services had found for him on Oxley Park
Mulubrhane Medhane Kfleyosus, 19, was found hanging in February in the flat social services had found for him on Oxley Park

Mulubrhane Medhane Kfleyosus, 19, was found hanging in February in the flat social services had found for him on Oxley Park.

His social worker had called to see him and became concerned when there was no reply, a pre-inquest review heard this week.

As a child, Mulubrhane had fled unaccompanied from his native Eritrea, the African country said to have one of the worst human rights records in the world.

He ended up in Calais and later came to London, where he was under the care and guardianship of social services.

He then transferred to Milton Keynes, where his care shifted to local social workers.

The inquest review heard that social services allocated him a flat in Sinatra Drive and continued to visit him every few weeks after he reached the age of 18.

They last saw him just before Christmas 2018.

There will now be a three day inquest into Mulubrhane's death early next year.

Coroner Tom Osborne asked the legal team for Milton Keynes social services to make written submissions about whether the inquest should look at the role of the state in the teenager’s death rather than just the circumstances of it.

Mulubrhane's family want the scope as broad as possible, while Milton Keynes social services argued that it should be narrower.

The tragic story comes days after the Citizen revealed the facts behind the death of young autistic man Ayman Habayeb, who had also been under the previous care of MK social services and who also hanged himself alone in the flat they had helped him move into.

Worryingly, the pre-inquest review on Tuesday heard Mulubrhane was the fourth of his friendship group of young unaccompanied Eritrean refugees to have taken his own life.

Osman Ahmed Nur, 19, was found dead on 10 May 2018 in a young people’s hostel in London. Filmon Yemane, 18, killed himself in November 2017 and Alexander Tekle, also 18, took his own life a fortnight later - a year after he arrived in the UK hidden in the back of a lorry.

These deaths have highlighted the challenges and traumas faced by young, unaccompanied asylum seekers forced to flee their countries and settle in new countries alone.

If you are feeling suicidal, you can contact the Samaritans free, 24 hours a day, on 116 123. Or Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email [email protected] Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org

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