Dad raised concerns before girl's death - inquest

Warning: This article contains details of suicide and self-harm

The father of a teenager who died after being found unresponsive at a mental health unit has told an inquest into her death he had raised concerns about an item in her possession that she may use to harm herself.

Lucy Curtis, 17, died in hospital on 1 January 2024 after she was found unresponsive at Riverside Adolescent Unit at Blackberry Hill Hospital, Bristol, on 27 December 2023.

Her father Barry Curtis told jurors on Tuesday they had asked staff at the unit to search Lucy's room, but were told they could not "as she was a voluntary patient".

"I felt the situation felt extremely wrong," he told Avon Coroner's Court.

The inquest is looking into the circumstances of Lucy's death, including the response to referrals to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and information sharing between services.

It is also due to examine care provided to Lucy at the unit.

Curtis told jurors Lucy had resisted attempts by a different adolescent mental health unit at Wessex House, in Bridgwater, Somerset, to discharge her and his daughter felt she would be too much of a risk at home.

He told staff it was "increasingly difficult to keep Lucy safe at home" when they pushed for her to continue her recovery in the community.

Curtis also described Lucy's time at home as "incredibly difficult" and told the inquest the family still had notes written by Lucy saying she "will not make it to 2024".

Lucy made further attempts on her life while at home and, while recovering at Southmead Hospital, was seen by CAHMS which recommended another admission.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership recommended a three-week admission during which she would be observed every 15 minutes. She was admitted to the Riverside Unit at Blackberry Hill Hospital on 12 December 2023.

Both Wessex Houseand the Riverside Unit have since closed.

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Lucy's father said her mental health continued to worsen while at Riverside but added he only received "a handful of calls from the unit".

After a few days, Curtis said the family received a call saying Lucy was insisting on being discharged.

"We drove to Riverside and immediately could see she was still in a very bad way and pressing for a Mental Health Act assessment," he said.

"She said that Riverside would not continue to keep her safe and she insisted she wanted discharge as she felt she was a burden," he added.

The family were told that the unit could not prevent Lucy from discharging herself as she was a voluntary patient and she returned home.

"I remember feeling so incredibly sad and I felt hopeless with no idea how to help her," said Barry .

"She was in a very dark place," he added.

Lucy was persuaded to return to Riverside and was picked up on 24 December for a home visit, he said.

"We had a nice time, we watched a Taylor Swift film, I remember those days as a really special time," Curtis said.

Barry went on to say that Lucy became anxious shortly before returning to Riverside and that her mother noticed an item that Lucy could potentially use to harm herself was missing.

Lucy denied taking the item and staff members at Riverside told Mrs Curtis that they would speak to Lucy but could not search her room as she was a voluntary patient.

Barry said the family were "beside ourselves with fear that Lucy had something to kill herself with" and spoke to staff about it a second time.

The family took Lucy out again on Boxing Day and Lucy told them she loved them.

The next morning at 11:00 the family received a call explaining that Lucy had been found unresponsive and that "ambulance crews were working on her," following an incident of self harm.

Four days later Lucy died in hospital.

Curtis told the inquest that "watching Lucy experience such a rapid deterioration in her mental health was devastating".

"She showed immense courage opening up to staff at school and CAHMS," he added.

"From the beginning it often felt the CAHMS system was saying she was not serious enough to receive support [and] often felt as though the wider system was focused on gate-keeping access for care rather than providing it."

After her death, Barry walked to the highest point of every county in England and Wales in her memory for charity.

The inquest continues.

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