Missing girl, 18, ‘lay dying alone after cops called to her flat branded her 'medium' risk and left'
Alex Duce, 18, was reported missing by her worried mum after she struggled to get in touch with her.
A police officer went to her flat in Tredegar, South Wales, at 11am to try to speak to the beauty student but failed to get an answer.
An inquest heard PC Michael Lammert left the home because Alex was only deemed a "medium risk" because a pal told him "she does this from time to time".
PC Lammert said: 'To me I took that as she shuts off from people and doesn't want contact with friends and family sometimes.'
This was despite Alex's mum telling police she had been struggling with her mental health and had self harmed five weeks earlier.
PC Lammert said: "There was no immediacy. If there was a clear message relaying she was contemplating suicide then that would definitely have been a higher risk."
The incident at that point was not deemed serious enough to allow Gwent Police to use powers of entry as there was not enough evidence that Alex was inside the flat.
The court heard police returned at 4pm to find Alex's loved ones outside banging on the door.
But in another tragic delay, the officers had to wait for heavy equipment needed to gain entry to the flat.
At the time, there was only one entry kit per police station that contained the apparatus needed.
PC Lauren Smith, who had gone to the home, said it was common for officers not to be able to locate the kits and admitted it was "frustrating".
The court heard it took 30 minutes to retrieve the kit - with police finally gaining entry at around 5pm.
Alex was discovered hanged in her room still showing signs of life before being rushed to hospital, the inquest was told.
She was put on advanced life support but her machine was switched off and she died five days later on September 16, 2022.
PC Smith said she began to realise more about the case after being told Alex had self harmed and in her mind the risk became higher.
She said: "That information was never made available to me. The sense of urgency increased while I was there as I gained more information.'
The inquest continues.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
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