Teenage terror suspect in ‘good mood' day before death, inquest told
An autistic girl who became a terror suspect and was investigated by MI5 after she was groomed by a far-right extremist was in a 'good mood' and spoke about her future the day before her suspected suicide, an inquest has heard.
Rhianan Rudd, aged 16, was found with a ligature around her neck at Bluebell House Residential Home in Nottinghamshire on May 19 2022, five months after her terror charges were dropped and she was considered a victim of exploitation.
The inquest heard the teenager self-harmed six times between April and August 2021 while living at the home, which she had been moved to after she was charged for downloading a bomb-making manual and saying she wanted to blow up a synagogue.
On Monday, Chesterfield Coroner's Court heard evidence from Leigh Cutts, the manager of Bluebell House, who said there was 'nothing' to indicate that Rhianan would take her own life.
Edward Pleeth, counsel to the inquest, told the court that Rhianan had sat an English GCSE exam the day before her death and it was recorded she came downstairs to make breakfast in a 'positive mood' that morning before she was given a pep talk by the children's home staff.
The inquest heard that throughout that day Rhianan's mood was recorded as 'good' and she spoke about 'career paths she wanted to do and her upcoming GCSE exams' while on a walk with a staff member.
At 11pm that evening, it was recorded that Rhianan was in her bedroom and there were 'no concerns' about her, the inquest was told.
Ms Cutts said that when she came into work the next morning there was an issue with the water pressure at the home so she contacted maintenance and looked around for a burst pipe before checking Rhianan's room.
She said she could hear running water coming from the teenager's en-suite and went into her room before performing CPR until paramedics arrived.
Mr Pleeth said: 'Rhianan seemed positive in the lead up to the 18th and 19th of May. She had secured her apprenticeship in horse care, spoke of her future plans, she had spoken about visiting Japan and…becoming a jockey.'
Ms Cutts said there was 'never' anything to raise concerns Rhianan might use a ligature and that ligature cutters were available to the staff at the home.
The inquest heard that leading up to her death, Rhianan had been allowed more unsupervised access to her mobile phone.
In April 2022, the month before she died, Ms Cutts raised concerns that Rhianan said someone commented a 'bin emoji' on her Instagram post about her furry costume which she found 'triggering', and afterwards had worn a camouflage outfit with a German flag on her arm.
Ms Cutts said: 'I think she was feeling quite confused and conflicted off the back of the Instagram posts, that's why she put the camouflage on.
'It was really important to break down why she was feeling like that. We found out it was because she was worried about her old Telegram account she wanted to close down.'
The inquest was told that Rhianan was worried the Telegram account had content that would 'incriminate' her but she was reassured that Counter Terrorism Policing would not reopen the investigation.
Rhianan had been expected to go on trial in March 2022 before the charges were dropped in December the year before.
Ms Cutts told the inquest that Rhianan was 'quite withdrawn' and 'very quiet' when she first arrived at the home and added: 'She became quite upset in her bedroom initially.'
The inquest heard Rhianan had been 'hesitant and apprehensive about living in such a diverse home' but later 'expressed a desire to live here until she is 18'.
The court heard that during a visit by Derbyshire County Council, which Rhianan was in the care of as a looked-after child before her death, it was recorded that she was 'making excellent progress' and 'said she is happy and feels safe' at the home.
Mr Pleeth told the inquest Ms Cutts was aware that Rhianan was 'vulnerable to radicalisation and potentially subject to sexual abuse from a very young age'.
Rhianan was under one-to-one supervision in the home and every hour it was recorded what she was doing and whether there were any concerns about her, the inquest heard.
In July 2021, three months after Rhianan moved to Bluebell House, it was noted that she was 'becoming a better person every day'.
The inquest continues.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Man slams 5-year-old against wall, surrenders after hours of barricading himself
Miami-Dade deputies spent almost four hours trying to talk a man of his barricaded apartment after he allegedly slammed his son against a wall Saturday afternoon, injuring the 5-year-old, authorities say. Around 2 p.m., Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office deputies were alerted to the scene at an apartment complex near Tamiami Park. The young boy suffered a 'laceration' at the home, 2055 SW 122nd Ave. The child was taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. There were two other children in the home at the time, according to the Sheriff's office. The man, who has not been identified, barricaded himself inside the apartment and spent hours refusing to listen to the deputies commands to come out. He surrendered around 5:40 p.m. At the scene, the crackle of a negotiator's voice over a megaphone could be heard amid sharp pops of smoke and gas grenades. SWAT teams were positioned around the apartment complex, many aiming high-powered rifles at the building. A video posted to the OnlyinDade social media platform captured the chaotic scene before the surrender, showing heavily armed law enforcement officers surrounding the area. 'Come out with your hands up,' a negotiator called out in both English and Spanish. 'Let us help you,' they pleaded with him. Miami Herald staff writer Milena Malaver contributed to this report. This is a developing story.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
IDF airstrike kills head of Palestinian jihadist group that helped Hamas kidnap, murder on Oct. 7
The leader of a brutal Palestinian jihadist group responsible for the kidnappings and cold-blooded murders of the Bibas family and an Israeli-American couple was killed in an airstrike, the Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday. Asaad Abu Sharia, head of the Mujahideen Brigades, was killed in a joint operation carried out in Gaza City on Saturday by the IDF and the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, the groups announced in a joint statement posted on Telegram. 6 The IDF and the Shin Bet announced Saturday that they killed Mujahideen Brigades leader Asaad Abu Sharia. IDF/Telegram 6 Another high-ranking leader of the group, Mahmoud Kaheel, was killed in a separate airstrike. IDF/Telegram 'During the war, the organization he led was involved in instigating terrorist attacks against Israel and fighting against IDF forces operating in the Gaza Strip,' the statement read. Another high-ranking leader of the group, Mahmoud Kaheel, was killed in a separate attack, officials confirmed. 'The terrorists of the [Mujahideen] organization took a significant part in the murderous massacre on October 7, and were complicit in the kidnapping and murder,' they added. During the deadly 2023 attack on Israel, the group aided Hamas by raiding the Nir Oz kibbutz, which was home to Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, American-Israeli couple Gadi Hagai and Judy Lynn Weinstein, and Thai national Nattapong Pinta. 6 Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were kidnapped from their home during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Yifat Zailer / Facebook The Bibas' remains were handed over to Israel in February and Hagai's and Weinstein's bodies were recovered just this week by the IDF and Shin Bet. The remains of Pinta, 36, who had arrived to work on the kibbutz a year and a half prior to the attack, were recovered from Mujahideen Saturday in the area of Rafah in southern Gaza, also as part of the special joint operation, Defense Minister Israel Katz said. Pinta, like the other Nir Oz victims, is believed to have been killed in the early days of the war. 6 Nattapong Pinta was working on a kibbutz during the Oct. 7 attacks, sending money home to his family in Thailand. AP In total, 47 people were killed on the kibbutz during the onslaught and 76 were abducted — only four of whom are presumed alive. The bodies of seven captives from Nir Oz remain in the Strip, according to reports. Pinta, who had been working on avocado and pomegranate farms before being take captive, had been sending his earnings to his wife and young son back in Thailand in the hopes of helping her open a coffee shop, the Times of Israel reported. The father was one of 46 Thais who were killed while working in Israel. 6 Israeli soldiers deployed during an army operation in the West Bank city of Nablus in late May. ALAA BADARNEH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Fifty-five hostages remain in capticity in Gaza, but only 20 are believed to be alive. The IDF and the Shin Bet vowed Saturday to 'to locate and thwart all terrorists … who took part in the murderous massacre on October 7 and in holding Israeli hostages captive.' In recent weeks, Israel has expanded its offensive across the Gaza Strip and announced Saturday that it had uncovered an underground tunnel route, including a command and control center run by Hamas under a European Hospital compound. 6 The IDF retrieved the body of a Thai hostage who had been held in Gaza since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday. AFP via Getty Images And with a concerns growing in the region over a humanitarian crisis, the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was forced to suspend operations on Saturday due to 'direct threats against GHF operations' by Hamas, according to reports. 'Hamas is the reason hundreds of thousands of hungry Gazans were not fed today,' the GHF said in a statement. With Post wires
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Maryland homeowner says squatters moved into his house using fake Instagram scam — now they want $5K to leave
A Maryland homeowner, who asked to only be identified by his first name, Pete, says squatters are demanding $5,000 to vacate his home after gaining access to the property through a fraudulent Instagram rental scheme. ABC 7 News reports that two adults and two children had moved in, changed the locks and gave police a signed 'Squatter Lease Agreement Addendum,' a document investigators say is part of a larger fraudulent rental scheme, and one that Pete knew nothing about. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) The purported squatters allegedly told officers they paid $1,500 to a woman they met on Instagram who claimed she could get them a house in any area they wanted. All they had to do was pay a one-time fee — no rent, no lease, no questions asked. According to dispatch audio and police reports obtained by ABC 7, officers were called to Pete's property on May 29 after a realtor noticed signs of forced entry. The BCPD report states that 'a realtor attempted to show the property to a prospective renter when he noticed shavings on the ground of the front door entrance, the lockbox to the property missing, and the locks changed.' Police noted visible damage to the basement door consistent with forced entry. According to police reports reviewed by ABC 7 News, the male occupant at Pete's home admitted he knew what he was doing was wrong — but said he felt he had no other option. He reportedly claimed the individual told him the real homeowner might eventually show up but he'd have the chance to 'work something out' when that happened. In some cases, however, renters don't know they are entering into a fraudulent lease. Baltimore County Police say this isn't an isolated incident. The same Instagram account that connected these squatters to Pete's home has been mentioned in at least two other squatting cases in the area, including one in Windsor Mill and another in Baltimore City. Baltimore County State Delegate Ryan Nawrocki says these cases show a troubling trend: coordinated squatting scams that operate like organized crime. 'We have people who are doing this time and time again, and we know who they are. It's no different than any other criminal network that we would normally hold very seriously accountable,' he told ABC 7. As these scams grow more common, authorities say the legal system is struggling to keep up. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger says these scams are difficult to prosecute because they often involve two sets of victims: homeowners, and tenants who believe they've found a legitimate place to live. 'You have a victim who signs a lease and gets ripped off—and you have a property owner who loses control of their home,' Shellenberger said. His office is pursuing charges when possible, but he says that criminals are finding ways to commit crimes that states lack laws to address. Some states, like Florida and California, have begun passing laws to protect property owners from these situations. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it suggests that homeowners can try to protect their property from squatters with security measures, such as: Secure vacant homes: Use security cameras, check the property frequently and alert neighbors if your property is unoccupied. Make the home look occupied: Timed lights, security signs, planters and even children's toys can make it look like someone lives in the home. Report tampering immediately: If locks are changed or signs of forced entry appear, notify police right away. The longer squatters stay, the harder it can be to remove them. Screen for your property online: Monitor real estate and social media platforms for listings using your address without your consent. Consider setting up an alert for your address that will notify you if anything about your address is posted. Consult a property attorney: Eviction and trespass laws vary by state, and laws are constantly changing. You may need legal help to remove unauthorized occupants. For those looking for a place to rent, Experian provides tips on how to avoid falling for a bogus listing: Don't trust listings from social media: Scammers prey on desperation. If it seems too easy or too cheap, it probably is. Tour the property: This will prove the person offering the home has access. While it's not foolproof, it's another step that can help protect you. Verify the landlord's identity: Ask to see ID, ownership documents or work through a licensed realtor. Watch for red flags: Cash-only payments, no background checks, lease agreements with vague or unusual language or being told to change the locks yourself indicate something isn't right. Check the property's status: Use county records or real estate platforms to confirm if it's actually available for rent and who owns it. If the home is for sale or lists an owner other than the person you spoke with, walk away. Squatting scams like this are growing more common and more sophisticated. Pete's story is a warning for both homeowners and renters: in the age of online scams and fake listings, protecting your home, or finding one, may require more vigilance than ever. Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
