AN OPEN verdict was recorded at the inquest into the death of 12-year-old Zak Knott from Sourton Down, which shocked the small community earlier this year.
The inquest in Okehampton last week found the cause of death was consistent with hanging. But Richard Van Oppen, deputy coroner for Greater Devon, said there was insufficient evidence to say how Zak came to be in the situation which led to his death.
Zak?s body was found by his stepfather at the cycle track near Prewley water treatment works on Thursday, March 18.
Mr Van Oppen expressed his sympathies to Zak?s family and described the boy?s death as a ?tragedy?.
Zak?s stepfather Desmond Hill said the Okehampton College pupil was a ?normal boy? who had seemed to be in a good mood on the afternoon he went out to walk his dog but never returned.
He said: ?Zak was so happy when he came home that afternoon, he was talking about his merits in English and about joining the army cadets.?
Mr Hill said Zak, who was coming up for his 13th birthday, had some of the ?normal problems of being a teenager? and had things playing on his mind.
He said there was no indication that Zak was unhappy or being bullied at college, indeed he often talked to his family about the different things which had happened in class.
Mr Hill, a night baker working in Okehampton, said he had returned from his shift and had spoken to Zak and his younger brother before they left for school. Mr Hill woke up later in the day and spoke to Zak again, who was about to set off with Troy, a seven-year-old black and white collie, for his regular walk after school.
Zak left his home at around 4.30pm and when he still had not returned after 5pm, Mr Hill went out on his bicycle to look for his stepson.
Mr Hill rode the cycle tracks near to the family home where Zak walked Troy. He was about to return home when he spotted Troy running free on his own in the path.
Mr Hill shouted for Zak but did not get a response, he then saw Zak propped against a tree, down a steep bank at the path?s edge. ?At first I thought he was asleep,? he said. ?There was still no answer from him. At this point I thought something was wrong.?
He then attempted resuscitation and called an ambulance.
Det Insp Keith Perkin, who was the senior investigating officer into Zak?s death, told the coroner the police had ?kept an open mind? on the circumstances leading to Zak?s death. However, he said there was absolutely no evidence to suggest a third party had been involved.