Schoolgirl in 100ft plunge

A SCHOOLGIRL who jumped to her death from a bridge with a friend in an apparent suicide pact was "happy" and "excited" just a month before she died, an inquiry has heard.

Social worker Susan Ainley said she last saw Georgia Rowe "giggling back to the girls" after she dropped her off from a day trip.

The 14-year-old was a resident at the Good Shepherd Centre, in Renfrewshire, and Ms Ainley had travelled from Hull to take her out for the day.

The pair went shopping in Glasgow on 9 September 2009, where they bought Georgia some new clothes and had lunch.

But, on 4 October 2009, the teenager and her friend, Niamh Lafferty, 15, died when they fell more than 100ft from the Erskine Bridge.

Niamh was also a resident at the Good Shepherd Centre.

Ms Ainley told a fatal accident inquiry into the two deaths at Paisley Sheriff Court: "She told me she was really happy. She was excited about being taken out.

"I took her back to the secure unit and we pulled into the car park. The other girls were all excited to see her and she ran back to them.

"She was really giggling and smiling. I just remember her walking away, and turning and waving, and then giggling back to the girls."

Procurator fiscal John Watt asked her: "Was that the last time you saw Georgia?"

Ms Ainley replied: "Yes. It was the last time I saw her." Georgia was in the care of Hull City Council but spent the early part of her life living with her aunt, Tanya Oliver, in Scotland.

Ms Oliver took Georgia into her care at the age of nine months because her birth mother was unable to look after her.

Ms Oliver adopted two of Georgia's siblings but did not formally adopt the teenager.

In June 2008, Georgia was taken into care after her behaviour deteriorated and returned to live in a children's home in Hull.