Father pays tribute to ‘daddy’s girl’ found dead at private school after being given first detention

Jonathan Scott-Lee said his daughter, like him, was autistic

The father of a private school pupil who is believed to have taken her own life paid tribute to his “daddy’s girl” at an inquest into her death.

Caitlyn Scott-Lee, 16, was found dead at Wycombe Abbey school in Buckinghamshire on April 21 last year, the day before she was due to have her first ever detention.

The inquest, at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court on Monday, heard Caitlyn received the detention after alcohol was found in her locker.

Her father, senior banker Jonathan Scott-Lee, told the inquest that Caitlyn was a “daddy’s girl”.

“I took care of her, dressed her, cuddled her, fed her, and soothed her,” he said.

“As she grew as a toddler, there would be bitter-sweet moments where she would stand by the window of our home and cry as I left for my daily commute.

“Little did she know I would return each evening.”

Mr Scott-Lee said his daughter, like him, was autistic.

“It is a myth that people with autism don’t have much emotion,” he said.

Her father, senior banker Jonathan Scott-Lee, told the inquest that Caitlyn was a ‘daddy’s girl’ (Family photograph)

He said their feelings were “amplified” as they are “internal”.

“Caitlyn was so much more than autism, Wycombe Abbey, and detention,” he said.

He told the inquest he had looked through a photo album after her death.

He said: “I saw photos of Caitlyn obtaining her scuba diving licence at age 10 in the Philippines, playing tennis in Scotland, modelling in Singapore, camping in Wales, riding helicopters in New Zealand, skiing across Japan, honing rifle marksmanship in Birmingham, driving at age 13 at Mercedes Brooklands, and hiking the Great Wall of China.

“Even I was surprised at how full a life Caitlyn lived in 6,041 days.”

The inquest heard that staff began to search for Caitlyn after she failed to return in time for curfew at her boarding school accommodation on April 21.

She was then found in a secluded area of the school.

Mr Scott-Lee shared his daughter’s final diary entry after her death, in which she thanked her friends for their love, wished them luck and said goodbye.

In the note Caitlyn recounts running away from a school trip to Eton College as a cry for help.

“I hope this is my last diary entry. I want to kill myself tomorrow,” the entry, written the night before her death, is reported to have read.

Speaking of how the threat of detention had been playing on her mind, she writes: “Running away was the best cry out for help I could give and you [Wycombe] responded with ‘we’d normally punish you but you’re already getting punished’.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.