Murdered Teen's Letter Accuses Social Services of Failure in Bristol Care Home

Melissa Mathieson, an 18-year-old resident at Alexandra House, a care home for adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome in Bristol, was strangled in 2014 by fellow resident Jason Conroy, who was fascinated by necrophilia and had a history of violent behavior including attempts to kill his mother and strangle a teacher. Conroy was jailed for life for the sexually motivated killing. Before her death, Mathieson wrote a letter titled 'Social Services Have Destroyed My Life,' expressing how being taken from her home and separated from her family disrupted her life and left her feeling confused and abandoned. Her mother, Karen Mathieson, who died a year after her daughter, submitted written evidence stating that the social care system failed both Melissa and Conroy, failing to address Conroy’s severe problems and protect Melissa. The inquest into Melissa’s death, held more than a decade later, highlighted the family's ongoing grief and frustration with the social services and professionals responsible for their care. The case underscores significant concerns about the adequacy of care and protection for vulnerable individuals in residential settings.