January 14th 2025.
Kiena Dawes, a 23-year-old woman, was found deceased by the British Transport Police on a railway line near Barnacre on July 22, 2022. Her passing was a tragic event that left her loved ones and the community shocked and heartbroken. In her heartbreaking suicide note, Kiena expressed her hope that the police would take action more quickly in cases like hers, in order to prevent another person from suffering the same fate in the future.
For two years, Kiena had endured unimaginable abuse at the hands of her partner, Ryan Wellings, who was 30 years old at the time. He would physically assault her, even while she was pregnant, and make terrifying threats, such as drowning her in a bath, drilling her teeth, and pouring acid on her face to make her look like Katie Piper. Despite calling the police at least five times in the year leading up to her death, Kiena's pleas for help were not taken seriously.
Even when she had visible injuries, including a black eye while pregnant, the police did not pursue the complaints any further. Kiena was afraid of Wellings, who would threaten to take their baby away if she told the police the truth about the abuse. It wasn't until she was beaten to the point of unconsciousness and needed hospital treatment on July 11, 2022, that she found the courage to give a statement to the police.
Wellings was arrested for assault and released on bail with the condition that he could not contact Kiena. However, just six days later, she received a missed call from Wellings' ex-girlfriend's number at 2:51 am on July 17. When she returned the call, Wellings was on the other end, threatening her as he had done countless times before. Kiena reported this to the police as a breach of bail and provided screenshots of abusive texts from Wellings. However, the officer who took her statement abruptly ended it, claiming there was no breach of bail.
This incident, along with being told to take down a Facebook post detailing the domestic violence she had suffered, left Kiena feeling unsupported by the police and devastated that Wellings was not behind bars. It was only days later, on July 22, that she wrote her suicide note before taking her own life on a railway line. Her final words were a plea for change and for her life to save another by police acting faster in cases of domestic violence.
In November 2024, Metro launched "This Is Not Right," a year-long campaign aimed at addressing the epidemic of violence against women. Through this campaign, stories will be shared to shed light on the extent of this issue and empower readers to take action. Metro has partnered with Women's Aid to bring awareness to this urgent issue, and readers are encouraged to share their own stories by emailing the publication.
The timeline of abuse suffered by Kiena Dawes is a harrowing reminder of the reality faced by far too many women. What started as a seemingly fairytale relationship quickly turned into a nightmare for Kiena. She endured two years of physical and emotional abuse, which resulted in her mental health deteriorating and her being admitted to a mental hospital.
Despite reaching out for help and making numerous reports to the police, Kiena's pleas were dismissed, leaving her feeling unsupported and her abuser free to continue his violent behavior. It was a tragic and preventable loss that serves as a reminder of the urgent need for change in how domestic violence is handled. Kiena's story is not an isolated incident, and it is time for society to take action and put an end to the epidemic of violence against women.
On July 22, 2022, the British Transport Police made a tragic discovery. They found Kiena Dawes' lifeless body on the railway line near Barnacre. It was a heartbreaking scene, made even more devastating by the suicide note that Kiena had left behind. In her note, she expressed her hope that the police would act quicker in cases like hers, so that other lives could be saved in the future.
Kiena's life had been a living nightmare for the past two years. She had been a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her partner, Ryan Wellings. He was a violent and controlling man who would beat her, threaten to harm her in horrific ways, and constantly belittle and demean her. Despite enduring this abuse for so long, Kiena still had the courage to reach out to the police for help. She called them at least five times in the last year of her life, but unfortunately, they were not able to provide the protection and support that she so desperately needed.
Even when Kiena had visible injuries, including a black eye while she was pregnant, the police did not take her claims seriously. They took her word for it when she downplayed the abuse and even declined to pursue her complaints further because she was afraid of Wellings. He would often threaten to take their baby away from her if she told the truth to the police. However, after a final brutal beating in July 2022, Kiena found the courage to make a statement and report the abuse. Wellings was arrested, but unfortunately, he was released on bail with the condition that he could not contact Kiena.
But just six days later, Kiena received a missed call from Wellings' ex-girlfriend's number in the early hours of the morning. When she called back, it was Wellings on the other end, making threats as he always did. Kiena reported this breach of bail to the police and even provided screenshots of abusive texts from Wellings. But despite her bravery, the police did not take any action and concluded that there had been no breach. This left Kiena feeling unsupported and upset that Wellings was not behind bars where he belonged.
Feeling like she had no one to turn to, Kiena wrote her suicide note and took her own life on the railway line. In her final words, she pleaded for the police to act faster in cases like hers and to not let bullies like Wellings go unpunished. Her story is just one of many in the epidemic of violence against women, which is why Metro launched the "This Is Not Right" campaign in November 2024. With the help of Women's Aid, the campaign aims to bring attention to this issue and empower readers to take a stand against violence towards women.
But for Kiena, it was too little too late. She had already suffered two years of unimaginable abuse at the hands of Wellings. Her relationship with him had started as a fairy tale, but it quickly turned into a nightmare. She endured physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, and her mental health suffered greatly. Despite reaching out for help, she was failed by the police and the justice system. Her story serves as a reminder that we must do more to protect and support victims of domestic abuse, and to hold abusers accountable for their actions.
The timeline of Kiena's abuse is a harrowing reminder of the horrors she endured. From being introduced to Wellings in 2020 to her tragic death in 2022, she was subjected to constant violence and manipulation. She was threatened, strangled, verbally and emotionally abused, and even had her late father's shrine destroyed by Wellings. She was afraid for her own life and the life of her unborn child, and yet the police did not take her seriously. Kiena's story is a heartbreaking tragedy, but it is also a call to action. We must do better to protect and support victims of domestic abuse and hold abusers accountable for their actions. Let us not forget Kiena and the countless other women who have lost their lives to this epidemic of violence.
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