A ‘vulnerable’ teenager who killed herself after claiming she was raped by a colleague suffered a ‘huge miscarriage of justice’, her family has said.
Lauren Hewson, who first tried to take her life on her 18th birthday, alleged she had been sexually assaulted and raped as an apprentice at BAE Systems, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, by a staff member no longer at the company.
Cumbria Police said a man was arrested and released on bail, but no charges were brought against him because there was not enough evidence.
The force’s investigation continued after the teenager’s death in August 2025 – a week after her first attempt – but her family was informed earlier this month that it had concluded.
Lauren’s sister, Bethany, said: ‘What we are feeling at the minute is a huge miscarriage of justice […] by the failings of her employer to protect a vulnerable young girl – she was still a child.’
The inquest at Cumbria Coroner’s Court heard Lauren had started work at BAE Systems in 2023.
Her sister told the inquest Lauren had ‘flourished into a loving and independent young woman’ – but that her family ‘noticed a change in her’ from June last year.
‘She started to isolate herself, she would shut herself in her bedroom and refuse to come out, and she wasn’t engaging in conversation,’ Bethany said.
Lauren Hewson took her own life shortly after her 18th birthday, after alleging she had been raped while working as an apprentice at BAE systems
‘She let go of her appearance and started to lose weight quite drastically.’
The inquest heard she later told her family she had been abused, and police were notified.
Lauren first tried to take her own life on her 18th birthday, July 28 last year, and was admitted to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
However, she was discharged after telling medical staff she had no intention of further harming herself, the inquest heard.
A week later, she was found unresponsive in her bedroom and declared dead by first responders.
Her mother, Helen Bamber, told the inquest: ‘Lauren believed her life had been ruined, she just could not see a way out, but she was a strong, determined girl.’
Assistant coroner Robert Cohen ruled she intentionally died by suicide.
‘Lauren went on to make very serious allegations, and it is also right to record the family’s position that had it not been for those incidents, Lauren would not have died,’ he said.
The family also said the apprentice was ‘not properly safeguarded’ by BAE Systems.
‘If Lauren had the correct support in the workplace to fit with her needs, then she may have felt brave enough to speak out and report what was going on, but sadly she didn’t have that chance,’ her sister said.
BAE Systems said it had ‘rigorous safeguarding procedures to support and protect apprentices’.
It said these procedures were ‘regularly reviewed to ensure they align with regulatory guidance and are benchmarked against best practice’.
A spokesperson added: ‘We take any allegation of misconduct seriously and investigate thoroughly, while supporting those affected and taking appropriate action as necessary.’
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