British actress Mya-Lecia Naylor, 16, died by 'misadventure,' inquest rules
British actress Mya-Lecia Naylor’s cause of death has been determined.
The South London coroner’s office ruled that the 16-year-old’s April 7 death was as a result of “misadventure.” That categorization is similar to an “accidental” ruling, but the distinction is that she took a deliberate action that resulted in her death.
Assistant Coroner Toby Watkin concluded that the teen, who appeared in the 2012 Halle Berry-Tom Hanks film Cloud Atlas, “did not intend to end her own life.”
According to the inquest, Naylor — who starred in the BBC Children’s TV shows Millie Inbetween and Almost Never — was found hanged in a marquee, a large tent with open sides used for outdoor entertainment, at her family’s home in South Norwood. Emergency services responded to call about a teenage girl in cardiac arrest. She was pronounced dead soon after at Croydon University Hospital.
Naylor, who began her career as a toddler, spent the evening prior to her death watching a movie with her family that included a scene about suicide, her parents, Martin and Zena Naylor, revealed during the investigation. She had been grounded and was prevented from attending a party. She was last seen two hours prior to being found.
Leading up to her death, she had been stressed over her General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exam results being lower than expected. Her father told South London Coroners Court that Naylor “had not been her normal self” and they attributed it to exam stress. However, he noted that “she had plans scheduled out” to better her score.
Naylor’s dad also told the court he felt that the hanging was a “silly mistake.” He said, “I honestly believe she was just making some sort of point. I genuinely believe she did not mean to do it. It was a silly spur of the moment thing.”
He added, “She clearly had plans for the future.”
A toxicology report revealed that Naylor had no alcohol or drugs in her system. Her phones, laptop, and social media accounts were searched during the inquiry and did not turn up anything suspicious.
Naylor gave an interview to Tresa magazine the month she died talking about how she was pursuing singing as well as acting and had “some amazing projects” in the works.
If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
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