Torfaen: Quarry fall teen was trying to save friend – inquest

Police interviewed the 14 year-old girl who was with Myron at the quarry, but the court heard she had “limited memory of the event”.

The court was read parts of the interview is which she recalled being “happy” on the day of the incident, saying Myron was “happy” and “his normal self”.

She said they had gone to to the quarry to enjoy the view and had been there together before.

She could not remember how they had fallen but said she had flashbacks of the event.

The court heard she was treated in hospital for “significant injuries” sustained in the fall.

Det Ch Insp Leigh Holborn, now retired, investigated for Gwent police and said there had been “horrendous rumours” about “third-party involvement” in the incident despite there being no evidence that anyone else was at the quarry.

He said it appeared that the girl had fallen first with Myron reacting.

“Myron has gone to try and help her, which you would,” he told the court, saying he would do “everything he can” to stop her from falling”.

He also said there was no evidence to suggest there was a “suicide pact” between the two, saying he believed messages in which Myron talked about going to the quarry to hurt himself were “throwaway comments”.

The court heard that some fencing had been put up at the top of the quarry cliff since Myron’s death, but that there was some uncertainty about who owned the site.

Corner Caroline Saunders concluded that Myron’s death was an “accident”.

“[The girl] was slightly in front of Myron and slipped and fell and Myron instinctively reacted to save her.”

“The edge of quarry is a dangerous place to be,” she added.