An inquest was held today after a young couple was discovered hanged from the same tree in the woods that had ‘towards eternity’ and ‘4 Ever’ spray painted on it.
On the morning of November 5, 2017, the bodies of Charlie Eccleston, 19, and Zaiga Gravenieks, 20, were discovered by a police dog in a secluded part of a wood in Shenley, Hertfordshire.
According to the hearing at Hatfield, the pair, who had been missing since Halloween, had been tracked to the area by Zaiga’s mobile phone.
Post-mortem examinations revealed that they died of asphyxia. Their bodies contained traces of cocaine and cannabis.
Charlie’s mother Jo said in a statement read to senior Hertfordshire coroner Geoffrey Sullivan: ‘They lived together, died together, and were buried together at their request.’
Charlie, from Borehamwood, she said, had struggled with his mental health since he was 12 years old. He had symptoms of psychosis and was hearing voices telling him to commit suicide.
He was an accomplished musician who sang and played guitar in the metal band Desert Smoker.
‘Although he had no love for himself, he adored Zaige,’ Ms Eccleston said. Zaige was an accomplished artist. She aspired to be a tattoo artist.
‘Although he had no love for himself, he adored Zaige,’ Ms Eccleston said. Zaige was an accomplished artist. She aspired to be a tattoo artist.
She was breathtakingly beautiful. ‘You could always see her affection for Charlie.’
Zaiga, from Harpenden, was diagnosed with anorexia and Asperger’s, according to her mother, Ausma.
She had been studying music at Bedford College but had become ill and was unable to continue.
‘She and Charlie were madly in love,’ she continued.
Professor Hilary McCallion’s testimony, which looked into how the couple was treated by mental health professionals, is set to be heard tomorrow.
The inquest will last three days.
