Semina Halliwell
Semina Mary Halliwell (18 November 2008 – 12 June 2021) was an English schoolgirl from Southport, Merseyside. She died aged 12 after taking an overdose of her mother's prescription medication. Her case attracted national attention due to her prior allegation of sexual assault, subsequent bullying, and criticisms of the institutional response.[1][2]
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- Early life
Halliwell was born in Ormskirk, Lancashire, in November 2008 and lived in Southport with her mother, Rachel Halliwell, and her brother.[3]
She attended Stanley High School in Southport. From 2020 she exhibited behavioural and emotional difficulties, including self-harm, and was later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.[3]
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- Assault allegation
In March 2021, Halliwell disclosed to her mother that she had been sexually assaulted by an older boy who had contacted her via social media.[1] The allegation was reported to Merseyside Police, who advised that an investigation could take up to two years and might result in "your word against his".[4]
Halliwell initially withdrew her complaint but later agreed to proceed with an Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interview scheduled for June 2021.[5]
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- Harassment
Following the allegation, Halliwell and her family reported being subjected to bullying, harassment, and physical assaults. Videos of her being attacked were circulated on social media.[3][6]
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- Death
On 9 June 2021, after police officers visited her home, Halliwell ingested colchicine tablets prescribed to her mother. She was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where she died on 12 June 2021.[7]
A consultant paediatrician testified at the inquest that Halliwell expressed regret, saying she had intended to "sleep for a couple of days".[1]
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- Inquest
The inquest into Halliwell’s death was held at Bootle Town Hall in January–February 2025. The coroner, Johanna Thompson, concluded that Halliwell died after taking an overdose "while in a state of distress" but that her intention was unknown.[2] The coroner found no breach of operational duty by Merseyside Police, Sefton Council, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust, or her school.[7]
Halliwell’s mother rejected the findings, stating that her daughter had been "betrayed" by the agencies meant to safeguard her.[6]
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- Independent Office for Police Conduct review
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigated Merseyside Police’s handling of the case. In 2023 it recommended that the force apologise to the family for failings and provide further training to officers.[8]
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- Documentary
In 2024, a documentary series titled Trolled to Death: A 12-Year-Old’s Tragic Overdose examined Halliwell’s case, focusing on online abuse and institutional responses.[9]
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- See also
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid
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Further reading
- BBC News. *Southport schoolgirl Semina Halliwell died after overdose*. 13 February 2025. [1]
- The Guardian. *Girl, 12, alleged sexual assault before death, inquest hears*. 13 January 2025. [2]
- Liverpool Echo / TTS Press. *Police told to apologise to family of Semina Halliwell*. 17 March 2023. [3]
- Merseyside Police. *Record of Inquest: Semina Mary Halliwell*. 13 February 2025. [4]
- YouTube. *Trolled to Death: A 12-Year-Old’s Tragic Overdose (trailer)*. Channel 4, 2024. [5]
- Sky News. *Girl, 12, took overdose after making sexual assault allegation, inquest hears*. 13 January 2025. [6]
- ITV News Granada. *Inquest finds girl’s intent after overdose was unknown*. 13 February 2025. [7]
This article "Semina Halliwell" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Semina Halliwell. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- ↑ "Girl, 12, took overdose after making sexual assault allegation, inquest hears". Sky News. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Southport schoolgirl Semina Halliwell died after overdose". BBC News. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Girl, 12, alleged sexual assault before death, inquest hears". The Guardian. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Girl, 12, told "it could be your word against his" after alleging sexual assault". Liverpool Echo. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Inquest finds girl's intent after overdose was unknown". ITV News. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "'Betrayed by police': Mother of Semina Halliwell speaks after inquest". LBC. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Death of girl who made rape claim could not have been prevented". The Times. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Record of Inquest: Semina Mary Halliwell". Merseyside Police. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Inquest Day One: Semina Halliwell". Merseyside Police. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Police told to apologise to family of Semina Halliwell". Liverpool Echo. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Trolled to Death: A 12-Year-Old's Tragic Overdose (trailer)". YouTube. Channel 4. 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
