A brave young man who escaped war-torn Syria and arrived alone in Liverpool aged just 15 was tragically found dead in his home.
Mohammad Alash, 20, died suddenly at his youth hostel flat on Upper Parliament Street, Toxteth, on March 31, 2023. The college student was last seen alive at around 8.15pm the previous day by a member of hostel staff, who asked him if he was all right. He told her he felt "fine", and walked off towards his room.
Mohammad was due an appointment with a mental health worker the next day – but when staff tried to enter his room, the door was blocked. They called 999 and police attended and forced entry to the flat, where Mohammad's body was found.
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Mohammad's brother-in-law, Mohammad Shehab, said: "He was very kind. He had a very hard life when he was young. His father passed away – he was all alone."
Mohammad was among 6.8m Syrians forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing Syrian civil war, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 306,000 civilians, including Mohammad's brother and father. He travelled to a refugee camp in Turkey before taking a boat to Greece. His brother-in-law applied for asylum on his behalf; this was approved and he came to Liverpool in 2018.
At his inquest on Tuesday, July 25, the hearing was told the 20-year-old had suffered from PTSD, anxiety and depression as a result of his traumatic experiences.
On March 23, 2023, he moved in with his sister and brother-in-law for the holy month of Ramadan in the hope of giving him "a new start in life" after spending time in hospital.
Mr Shehab said: "He fasted for four days of Ramadan at my house; we were fasting together and praying together. It was a very nice four days. But after that he went back to his house, and two or three days later, his body was found."
He added he had phoned Mohammad "many times" on March 30, the day before he died, but only got through to him once, when Mohammad told him he would visit him the following day.
An investigation concluded there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Mohammad's death.
Mr Shehab said: "He didn't see any good things in his life. There was war in Syria; he ran away to Turkey where life was very hard. He sailed to Greece, and when I applied for him to come over here, he came by plane. But when he came, his mental health was already very bad."
The following support services are available for people struggling with mental health problems:
- Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.
- Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won't show up on your phone bill.
- PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is an organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
- Mind (0300 123 3393) is a charity based in England providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
- Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.
- Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.
- Young Persons Advisory Service – Providing mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Liverpool’s children, young people and families. tel: 0151 707 1025 email: support@ypas.org.uk
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