A shy Felixstowe youngster who took his own life could have been trying to issue a cry for help as he didn’t know how else to communicate his feelings, a coroner has said.

Callum McEwan, 18, was found dead in his family home by his parents when they returned from an evening out, an inquest held into his death at IP-City Centre heard yesterday.

Coroner Kevin McCarthy said: “This is one of the saddest cases I have had to deal with this year.

“He was never heard to mention taking his own life. That, I think, is a significant fact.

“His computer and phone were seized and checked to see if there was anything that would indicate an intention to take his life, but nothing was found which makes this more mysterious and more curious.”

On his laptop, one stream of messages indicated that Callum had been suffering with depression and social anxiety.

Speaking at the inquest his mother, Tracey Feviour, said that Callum had been quiet on the day in question, but had never been one to discuss his feelings.

“He used to get really upset if I tried,” she said. “We didn’t even know he was depressed until we got that (the equipment back).

“He said ‘go out but wake me up at eight o’clock because I want to go out and practice my driving’. He had this driving text two days later.”

His father, Terry, added that Callum had become even more quiet following the death of his grandmother in January, with whom he was very close.

A statement written by Mr Fevious following Callum’s death read: “Callum had been quiet during the day. He was always quiet, however on the 18th of March had been more so than usual.

“Both Tracey and myself had asked him during the day if there was anything wrong. He said there wasn’t anything to worry about.”

Mr McCarthy recorded an open conclusion, rather than one of suicide.

“In order to make that conclusion [of suicide] I must be satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that that was his intention,” he said. “There was no note, there was no mention at all of taking his own life.

“All I can be satisfied of is that he was depressed.

”I cannot be satisfied so I’m sure that this young man intended to take his own life.

“It may well be that this was intended to be a cry for help.

“He was such a shy person, that may have been his only way of communicating his despair.”