County Durham family's tragedy after 'gifted musician' took own life on A19
A "gifted musician" who had dropped out of university when the Covid-19 pandemic hit his mental health took his own life on the A19 last September, an inquest has heard.
Lucien Guest, 22, died on September 29 2024. The inquest heard he had fallen from the Dalton Park bridge and was then hit by a van on the northbound carriageway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lucien, who lived nearby in Murton, had struggled with his mental health for more than three years. A talented trumpeter, he had been studying music at Birmingham University, starting in 2019. As he began his second year, the Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on his mental health and he ended up leaving the course and returning to the North East.
Though he struck up a long-term relationship and moved in with his partner, this relationship broke down in the months before his death. He had been taking anti-depressants, but in the week before his death had - with a GP's support - decided to change the kind of medication he was taking as he had not found those he was taking particularly beneficial.
At Crook Coroner's Court in County Durham, assistant coroner Simon Connolly concluded Lucien had died by suicide, while Lucien's parents Kevin and Suzanne made clear they did not hold any blame towards the driver of the vehicle which hit Lucien.
Detective Sergeant Michael Hogg - a lead investigator at the specialist road traffic investigations unit at Durham Constabulary - told the court how his team had identified no fault on the part of the driver and he would not have been able to see Lucien before he fell from the bridge.
Det Sgt Hogg confirmed there was nothing the driver could have done to avoid Lucien and that there were no defects to his vehicle. Evidence from a post-mortem examination read to the court confirmed that Lucien had died due to a traumatic brain injury including fractures, but could not distinguish if this occurred during his fall or when he was hit by the van.
Lucien's mother Suzanne also paid tribute to her son in a statement read to the court by the coroner. The coroner recounted: "You tell me that Lucien was born on Saturday April 6 2002 at University Hospital of North Durham. He was a happy baby and growing up he was unique, very cheerful, and one of a kind. He was a loving brother and a cherished son and grandson."
Suzanne said Lucien had been introverted and enjoyed playing video games, but that another of his interests was playing the trumpet, inspired by his grandparents. He began playing at the age of nine and in 20219 began a university degree in music at Birmingham University. He achieved a distinction in his first year.
Reading Suzanne's statement, the coroner added: "You describe him as a naturally gifted musician who spent a lot of time playing the trumpet. But in 2020 as he began the second year of his studies, that was when Covid hit. And this also coincided with Lucien struggling with his mental health."
Continuing, the coroner said Suzanne had explained how the isolation hit Lucien hard, Suzanne's statement continued: "He went from playing the trumpet in a group with like minded friends to being stuck in his room. Unfortunately Lucien soon lost his passion for music and left university.
"In 2021 he returned to the North East and he struck up a relationship with a girl he had met, and they moved in together in 2022. Eventually settling in Murton. You say that while early on, the relationship between them was good, it did sadly deteriorate and with that alongside it Lucien's confidence and self-worth deteriorated, as did his mental health."
That relationship had ended around three months before Lucien's death.
Suzanne recalled how Lucien's death had left the family heartbroken - and came just hours after she had been texting him. She said: "Lucien's passing has broken all of our family's hearts and he will be forever missed."
Speaking in court, she said: "The only thing would be to state from our point of view that we bear no blame at all towards the driver. We don't hold any blame for the driver, and if anything we have our sympathies for them as they may be struggling with [the consequences] of Lucien's decision."
Assistant coroner Simon Connolly said in his findings: "I find Lucien was a 22-year-old male who was a loving son, brother and grandson and a naturally gifted musician. In 2020 during the second year of his studies Lucien began to struggle with his mental health.
"This resulted in him abandoning his studies and returning to the North East. His struggles included a previous near-suicide where his sister had to talk him down from a bridge. His struggles with his mental health continued and resulted in him seeking support for his mental health from April 2023, and from February 2024 he had been taking medication.
"In the months prior to his death he experienced the breakdown of a relatively long-term relationship which had a significant impact on him."
The coroner said Lucien suffered fatal injuries and found his death was due to suicide.
“You were so so loved. Lucien’s fun, loving nature endeared him to those who knew him as a child and as the beautiful, sensitive young man he became.
"He will be loved and missed by the whole family and by those whose lives he touched. Memories of life with Lucien will be treasured for the rest of our lives. Rest in peace sweetheart. Here's hoping all your sorrows are now gone and you can fly free.”