A “cheerful” and popular Teesside University student tragically took his own life following a long battle with depression, an inquest has heard.

Seth Mukeba Lysinge moved to Middlesbrough from Cameroon in 2017 to study chemical engineering and was "popular around campus".

Friends of the much-loved 26-year-old described him as a “lovely person” who was “always happy”.

Following his death around 150 people gathered in Albert Park on to pay tribute to the popular student.

Many people shared their stories, said prayers and released balloons during the heart-warming tribute.

Seth Lysinge tragically committed suicide by jumping into the River Tees

But despite his “energetic” persona, Seth had been suffering from depression and was facing a number of issues in his personal life.

An inquest at Teesside Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday that Seth took his own life by jumping into the River Tees near the Riverside Stadium following a house party in Middlesbrough.

His body was found in the water on August 19 by a local fisherman, almost a week after he had been reported missing.

'Giving up on life'

The inquest heard that Seth was "giving up on life" after falling behind in his studies and had recently been sacked from his job at food production firm SK Foods.

He had also had a disagreement with a woman whom he had been in a casual relationship with and was in rent arrears.

The inquest was told that Seth was last seen by friends at a house party on Borough Road on Wednesday, August 12.

In statements, his friends, who described him as an “outgoing and bubbly person” who was “always smiling and telling jokes”, said he was not drinking alcohol at the party and seemed in good spirits.

One woman, who had a “casual, intimate relationship” with Seth was also in attendance.

In a police statement, the woman said Seth had invited her to go back to his flat as the party came to an end, but she refused as she was with a friend and didn't want to leave her.

The statement said Seth "took it personally" and he left the party at around 1am and "went home alone".

Seth "blocked" the woman on Snapchat shortly after, despite them both leaving on good terms.

Seth Lysinge


University meeting

The inquest heard that before his death, concerns had been raised regarding Seth's mental health.

In November, last year, he had a support meeting with staff at Teesside University following attendance concerns.

During the meeting Seth told staff he had been affected by depression for some time.

He said he was unable to register with a local GP but was planning on re-sitting his missed exams.

A police statement added that Seth would have known he was failing the course and that he faced the prospect of having to leave the country.

On August 14, university staff contacted Cleveland Police after receiving an email from Seth's concerned brother, Edwin.

Concerns

Edwin stated in the email that he was concerned about his state and pleaded with police to check on him.

A police community support officer then searched Seth's empty flat, but nothing untoward was found.

Seth had also sent a Whatsapp message to his brother saying he had "given up on life".

On the night of his disappearance, Seth was seen on CCTV walking through North Ormesby and towards the Riverside Stadium.

Message

That same night, Seth sent a group message to his friends, saying: "Thanks for all the love everyone. Love you guys."

A major search subsequently took place and a Facebook page was set up as part of the appeal.

But on August 19, a local fisherman was photographing the river in the Dockside area discovered Seth's body.

Police concluded there was no third party involvement in his death and no suspicious circumstances.

Medical cause of death

A post-mortem found the medical cause of his death was water immersion.

The inquest was attended by Seth's mum Madeline, his dad, Albert and a family friend.

Speaking at the hearing, Mr Lysinge thanked those involved in the investigation and said the family wanted to give their son a "peaceful burial" in Cameroon.

Assistant coroner Jo Wharton recorded his death as a suicide.

How to access support if you need it

Helplines and support groups

The NHS Choices website lists the following helplines and support networks for people to talk to.

  • Samaritans (116 123 in UK and Ireland) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.
  • Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won't show up on your phone bill.
  • PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
  • Mind (0300 123 3393) is a charity based in England providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
  • Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.
  • Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.