Kent social services investigating death of teenager Edward Barry

AN INVESTIGATION into the death of a teenager found dead in a house has been launched by social services.

Kent County Council (KCC) is investigating the death of 14-year-old Edward Barry as he was being supported by its children’s social services department before he died.

Edward’s body was found in an apartment in a house in Parrock Street, Gravesend, in the early hours of Friday.

A KCC spokesman said it could not comment on the nature of the investigation at present as it would risk compromising it.

The spokesman said: “Our primary concern is the welfare of the family. We are doing all we can to support the family through this tragedy.”

Neighbours of the house where Edward’s body was found say he did not live there and was one of a number of teenagers who frequently came and went from the property.

Kent police are also investigating the death, which is being treated as unexplained, and a post mortem carried out on Saturday could not conclusively say how Edward died.

Police could not say exactly when an inquest into the keen skateboarder’s death will be opened, but expect it to be within the next five weeks.