Teenager searched on Tiktok for 'ways to make yourself pass out' before he was found dead aged 16, inquest hears
Described by his mum as 'my angel', 16-year-old Maxwell Mills - known as Max - passed away in Christchurch, Dorset in February.
In a statement to Bournemouth Coroners' Court, Isobel Hawkins said her 'respectful, caring, son' had 'never shown any indication of wanting to take his own life'.
She said he was predicted to do well in his GCSEs and was already working part-time at a garage where he was planning to become an apprentice mechanic after leaving school.
In the days leading up to his death Max had already arranged shifts for the following week at the garage.
The schoolboy had been referred to CAMHS - Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services - after he acted 'out of character' by walking out of school weeks before he died. But a form he had completed on January 31 had led the service to categorise him as 'low risk' as he said he had no thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
But on the morning of February 2 Max was found by his mother in the kitchen of their home at Briar Close. Paramedics were called but they could not save him. A post-mortem found he had died of hanging.
His father Ben Mills later found Max had searched on a computer for TikTok videos on 'how to make yourself pass out'.
TikTok is currently being sued by the parents of four British teenagers believed to have died after taking part in a 'blackout challenge' circulating on the platform - though there is no evidence Max had taken part in this.
Max's mother said she did not have concerns her son was 'feeling depressed' before his death and she had 'always encouraged him' to talk to her about anything.
She also said there were no signs he was being bullied at school where he had 'a wonderful group of friends'.
The coroners' court heard she had earlier had concerns about how much time he was spending talking on the phone to his girlfriend.
She said he would be up all hours talking to her, 'constantly video calling each other'.
As a result he would be 'very tired' the next morning. But the two had broken up before Max died, and his parents said he appeared to be coping well with the split.
On January 31 Max had refused to go to school saying he felt 'unwell and exhausted' and went to his father's house to do homework, staying overnight.
Ms Hawkins said she picked him up the next day and they went home to watch TV together. She said as she passed his bedroom door later, she called out to him, and he had answered 'goodnight'. The next morning she found him in the kitchen.
A search of Max's phone after his death found a WhatsApp conversation between him and his ex-girlfriend which had lasted nearly 90 minutes in the early hours of February 2.
In it his girlfriend seemed 'concerned' that Max might harm himself, but he had assured her he would not do that.
Coroner Brendan Allen said it was 'not clear' what Max's 'intentions' had been on the day he died, saying he had a 'strong and supportive group of friends at school and clearly a loving relationship with his family'.
Although he had been referred to CAMHS he had 'expressed no thoughts of self-harm, or suicide'.
Mr Allen said the TikTok searches showed 'there is a possibility that Max had not intended to lose his life, his intention was to pass out'.
The coroner ruled his death as 'use of a ligature in circumstances where his intention is not explained by the evidence'.
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