Teenager, 15, hanged himself in family garden after arguing with parents over confiscated iPad

Ceri Sheehan argued with his parents and told a friend he "had something to finish" before taking his own life

Ceri Sheehan was a taleneted photographer who had his images printed in the local paper

A 15-year-old boy hanged himself in the garden of his family home after rowing with his parents who confiscated his electronic devices, an inquest heard.

Ceri Sheehan told his parents they "didn't understand" and sent a mysterious message to a friend saying he "had something to finish".

That night, Ceri, a talented photographer, went into the garden of his home and took his own life.

His father, Michael Sheehan, a project manager, told an inquest into his son's death he had not noticed anything unusual about him on June 11, last year, the day before he found his body.

He said: "I took Ceri and a friend to an afternoon session of paintball.

"When I picked them up they both seemed in good spirits. I asked Ceri if he wanted to go out to eat but he said he'd prefer to stay in. He spent most of the evening in his bedroom."

Eventually, his father confiscated his electronics as he and Ceri's mother, Rhian Roberts, agreed this as a method to stop him from going to bed late.

Mr Sheehan said: "Ceri argued that he should be allowed to keep his iPad .

A coroner at Hertfordshire Coroners Court recorded a verdict of suicide 

"This was not unusual and he did give it up. I remember he said 'oh you don't understand' but I didn't think anything of it at the time."

The next day Mr Sheehan went downstairs at around 6am to find all the lights were on but did not find this unusual. He assumed his son had gone out to take photographs as he had mentioned he might leave early.

He said: "I went to his bedroom to see if he had already left and his bed was empty so I assumed he had gone."

He then received a text from Ben Evans, the friend Ceri had been paintballing with the day before, stating he was worried about him.

He said: "I started to search the house and noted his camera was lying on the floor.

"I went outside and saw Ceri, halfway down the garden."

Mr Sheehan rushed to the front of the house to wait for an ambulance to arrive to Battlefield Road, St Albans, Herts., but it soon became clear Ceri was already dead.

The coroner heard that a post-mortem examination found the cause of Ceri's death was asphyxia.

Police officers examined Ceri's computer and phone and discovered he had been messaging his friend Ben with a phone in his room the evening before he was found dead.

Ceri had sent a message to his friend stating he "had to finish something" which worried him.

Ceri Sheehan's dad searched the house for his son before seeing him in the garden 

Ben said: "Ceri stopped responding to my messages. I sent a text message to Ceri's dad asking him to check on Ceri."

The inquest in Hatfield, Herts., heard that the teenager had been suffering from depression and had attempted suicide a year earlier.

He was in regular contact with a psychiatrist, a Dr Giovoli, who had diagnosed him with depression , ADHD, and the mild form of autism Asperger's Syndrome .

In his conclusions, Hertfordshire Coroner Geoffrey Sullivan said: "It seemed he struggled with some behavioural problems for a number of years but matters came to a head in 2015 and he began to see a psychiatrist.

"I can only conclude Ceri did sadly voluntarily do this act which brought about the end of his life." 
The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide .

In a statement, Ceri's parents said: "We are devastated by the death of our son and only child Ceri. It was an impulsive act that we are trying to understand but will never come to terms with.

"Ceri was four months short of his 16th birthday when he tragically took his own life. He was a pupil at St Columba's College, St Albans and we are grateful to school staff for understanding and supporting his condition.

"Ceri was an entrepreneurial teenager with a knack for turning his hobby for photography into an embryonic business. It is tragic that a bright, kind and caring boy, with so much potential, was unable to see a future for himself."

The family asked for charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide's phone number 0800 068 4141 to be featured in any report about his death.