‘No third party involvement’ in teenager Leah Bedford’s death

A teenager whose body was found in the River Ouse in York drowned with “no third party involvement”, an inquest has heard.

Leah Bedford, 16, was reported missing on 20 September 2023 after being seen in the early hours of the morning near Lendal Bridge. After an eight-day search, her body was recovered from the river near Terry Avenue.

Safeguarding officials had assessed her as being of “immediate high risk” shortly before her death after she had reported being sexually assaulted.

Kristian John Franks was accused of raping Leah in a vehicle on 6 September, but the case was dropped after the teenager died.

However, Leah’s evidence was later used to help convict Franks of a separate rape offence committed in 2017.

Leah had been known to safeguarding and mental health partners in York since 2022, the inquest heard, including the City of York Council child exploitation team and North Yorkshire Police’s safeguarding unit.

At the time of her death she had been living in a hostel for vulnerable young people, the hearing was told.

The inquest held in Northallerton heard a post-mortem examination found alcohol, ketamine, cocaine and MDMA in her system.

Leigh Moore, service manager for the council’s child exploitation team, said Leah made the decision to live at the hostel in June 2023.

This was instead of pursuing alternative routes including entering the foster care system, the inquest heard, however she lost her permanent room in August due to “a build up of incidents” in which she presented as being “under the influence”.

Amy Gilbank, Leah’s social worker, said she had visited A&E a number of times during this period for self-reported drug use.

She had also expressed wanting to apply for jobs and for “things to be different”, Ms Gilbank added, although her engagement with substance support services “varied”.

A multi-agency meeting was held on 5 September to determine her risk of being criminally or sexually exploited.

Det Ch Insp David Ellis, from North Yorkshire Police’s safeguarding unit, said that while she was still deemed “low risk” on that occasion, two days later this was escalated.

Her family questioned whether Leah had diminished capacity due to her substance abuse and mental health issues.

Jayne Reynolds, the family’s spokesperson, said they did not feel she was “competent to make her own decisions” at 16 and questioned why she was considered capable to do so.

Jane Kasiuk, Leah’s grandmother, said she was worried that Leah did not receive any therapy treatments for her mental health despite a referral in June 2023.

Daniel Piper, a child and adolescent mental health services practitioner involved with Leah’s case, said he had not initially recommended treatment from the team because he had concerns about the “stability” of her situation.

Speaking directly to Mr Piper, Ms Kasiuk said: “Mental health was the thing she kept coming back to.

“She was struggling with her mental health.”

Mr Piper said he did not want to negatively impact her positive relationships with other professionals, including her social worker.

The hearing continues.

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