Michael Cartwright, who was serving 20 months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft, was found hanging in his cell at Stoke Heath YOI, in Shropshire, at around 9pm on 20 December.
Staff attempted to resuscitate him and he was taken to Telford hospital but died two days later on 22 December.
The Stoke Sentinel reported that Cartwright had previously attended a school for children with special needs, and had unsuccessfully attempted to take his life last Christmas while serving a separate custodial sentence.
Penelope Gibbs, director of the Prison Reform Trust’s campaign to reduce child imprisonment, said: "Where young people are vulnerable and suicidal, custody should be an absolute last resort and all steps should be taken to support and watch them if custody has to be used.
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