Young mum Kiena Dawes detailed the horrific torture she endured at the hands of her fiancé in a tragic letter – before ending her life.
The 23-year-old left the suicide note naming Ryan Wellings, 30, as her killer. On July 22, 2022, she dropped their nine-month-old daughter at a friend’s house before her death.
Hairdresser Kiena left behind a note which read: “I was murdered” and that Wellings had “killed me”. At Preston Crown Court today, Wellings was told by a jury he was found not guilty of killing Kiena after denying manslaughter, but was convicted of assault and guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour towards her.
Pouring out her emotions in a separate letter, Kiena said her relationship with Wellings started out “perfect”, but things later took a turn as he accused her of cheating and turned violent. Police found the letter on Kiena’s phone after she took her own life.
Kiena suffered facial injuries in an assault just days before her death
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Kynan Dawes / SWNS)
Kiena Dawes eventually took her own life
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Kynan Dawes / SWNS)
She wrote: “In the beginning everything was perfect he came across as an amazing person. As things went on things became slightly controlling. In the first week he had my name and my face tattooed on his head and leg. He also wanted me to have his name to feel special which I did. In the early stages I thought this was nice act.”
Hairdresser Kiena wrote about the first time Wellings, a landscape gardener, struck her: “The first time he hit me physically he accused me of sleeping with his friend. He threw a foot stool at me and threw me into glass on the floor. The second time he hit me was I had tried to leave him and he demanded the money I had in my account which at the time we share. He pulled me by my hair and threw me to the floor. There was a big gap in each of these like 4 months inbetween.”
Kiena wrote about their decision to have a child – and how he abused her while pregnant. “We decided to have a baby and when I got pregnant he became very emotionally abusive. I have a personality disorder therefore I have been sectioned twice in the past before I became stable and on medication. He uses this against me a lot. In arguments he would tell me no one would believe me as i’m crazy and I make it up.
Wellings will be sentenced at a later date
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Lancashire Police)
Ryan Wellings was accused of manslaughter
“He told me when I was pregnant I would never have anyone else I was fatter so he didn’t like me as much. He gave me a black eye when I was pregnant and hit me to the floor. When this happened he tried to say to family ect it was self defence as I am insane.” She continued: “I rang the police and he put on a good act and made me swear I wouldn’t tell them what he did. After this he emptied my home took my tvs ect so I didn’t have things that he had bought.”
She describes how things became worse and he started cheating on her. “The emotional abuse got a lot worse throughout the pregnancy as he know I couldn’t go anywhere else and would stay with him. He then began becoming unfaithful speaking to other women on social media ect. When I found out about this he said it’s all my fault because of my hormones ect. He made me believe I was the one in the wrong.
“I ended up back in hospital as I felt I was losing my mind and he told me I was. Then when I came out of hospital he carried on being unfaithful and emotionally abusive. I have told him I feel like I am a victim of domestic violence and of course he thinks I am insane. I get what I deserve.”
The couple had a nine-month-old baby girl
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Kynan Dawes / SWNS)
She said things did briefly improve after the birth – but it didn’t last long. “When the baby was born and the labour he was amazing with me so I thought it was perfect and to stay with him. It wasn’t long till he was hurting me again. I told him I didn’t want anything happening around the baby.
“I get hit around the head every week now even if it’s just a slap. But he’s made me believe that’s acceptable because I argue back with him. Last week we fell out as I told him i’m not sure I want this anymore. He got a drill turned on and put it in my face and told me he would drill the teeth out of my mouth. My dad who I was very close to passed away last year. His ashes are at my house he threatens to throw him out of the window.”
The heartbreaking note continues: “Recently I have noticed I have lost myself and how I usually manage things. I have started to believe I deserve this and I’m not good enough. He can be so perfect to me and a fantastic person but then this is inbetween. I have decided to leave and now my mum will not let me home or back near him at all. He has been texting and texting ringing ect telling me everything I want to hear. Promising me the world and I’m finding it hard to ignore as I feel lonely and like I do need him. He is saying I’m splitting my family up ect.”
On the day she died, Kiena left her baby daughter, still in her car seat, at a friend’s house. She had left her mobile phone alongside the baby with her suicide note.
It read: “The end. I fought hard, I fought long. I went through pain no one could imagine. No one will know what I went threw. I was murdered. Slowly. They tortured me till there was nothing left. I lost my fight but I didn’t give up my battle. I fought till the end. Ryan Wellings killed me.”
Wellings, of Bispham, Lancs, will be sentenced at a later date.
For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk. If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk