Questions Over Mysterious Death In Mental Health Hospital

A intelligence wellness spot says it is readying to instal CCTV pursuing nan decease of a diligent successful mysterious circumstances.

Maria Morris, 44, was recovered unresponsive astatine Bethlem Hospital successful southbound London connected 21 September 2021 pinch 4 socks down her throat, and a ample unexplained bruise connected her back.

She died hours later successful infirmary from a encephalon wounded caused by a deficiency of oxygen. A advisor who treated her questioned whether she had been assaulted.

An inquest assemblage astatine South London Coroners' tribunal concluded that her decease was accidental, but her family says they still person questions astir what led to her death.

The inquest heard that Maria Morris, who worked arsenic a school assistant, had bi-polar affective disorder.

In September 2021, her family and friends became concerned erstwhile she started acting erratically and recovered that she had stopped taking her medication.

Police were called aft she ran distant from a friend while connected a locomotion successful a park. When found, she was illusion and taken to Croydon Hospital.

She was transferred to Bethlem Royal Hospital, a intelligence wellness infirmary tally by South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLAM), connected 18 September wherever she was sectioned nether nan Mental Health Act.

The assemblage was told that while Maria was connected nan unit, she raised a number of concerns astir really unit were treating patients. She told 1 personnel of unit that patients were being "punished" astatine night.

On nan evening of nan 21 September, Maria was observed by unit successful her room astatine 20:00 and past again astatine 20:30.

At 21:23 a personnel of unit recovered her unconscious connected nan level of her room, having had a cardiac arrest.

During attempts to resuscitate her, a sock was recovered successful her throat. When paramedics arrived, 3 further socks were removed from her throat.

By nan clip she was transferred to Croydon University Hospital, she had suffered a hypoxic encephalon injury. A fewer hours later she went into cardiac apprehension again and died connected 22 September.

The assemblage was told that Dr Simon Wood, an intensive attraction expert astatine Croydon Hospital who treated Maria, alerted nan constabulary to a ample bruise connected her back.

He besides said that, successful his view, a diligent wouldn't person been capable to push socks down their ain pharynx without gagging. He was concerned that this whitethorn person indicated she'd been assaulted.

The assemblage heard that location was nary CCTV utilized connected nan wards astatine Bethlem Hospital and location was thing successful Maria's notes aliases observations to explicate nan bruising.

Maria's room was locked erstwhile she was found. The tribunal heard that astir patients had keys for their ain rooms, but location was nary grounds connected who had what key.

Staff had maestro keys that could unlock each nan patients' rooms.

In a connection publication to nan court, Metropolitan constabulary serviceman DC Herdeep Jugdev said that his investigation had been hindered because Maria's room successful Bethlem had been cleared, and nan sock disposed of, earlier they sewage location 19 hours aft her decease was reported.

During their investigation, nan constabulary spotted what appeared to beryllium humor nether Maria's nails, though this did not look to person been tested to spot whose it was.

John Taylor, nan South London Coroner, told nan assemblage that location was not capable grounds to reason that Maria was assaulted connected nan ward, aliases that personification other had pushed socks into her airway.

The inquest heard conflicting grounds from unit astatine Bethlem astir really often Maria was checked connected nan nighttime she died.

Some documents and witnesses suggested she should person been checked 4 aliases 5 times an hour. Others suggested she should person been checked erstwhile an hour.

The assemblage concluded that Maria had pushed nan socks down her ain throat, but that her decease had been accidental. They were incapable to scope a conclusion connected whether a deficiency of observations contributed to her death, because of nan conflicting evidence.

In a statement, Maria's family said she was a much-loved mother, girl and sister, and that her decease "has near a profound and lasting void successful nan hearts of her family and each who loved her".

"We are grateful to nan assemblage for having identified that location were missed opportunities astir communication, archiving and observations.

"As a family, nan thought that much could person been done to support her safe causes america immense pain."

The family besides said it felt nan assemblage was not allowed to remark connected each nan issues it considered to beryllium important.

"As a family we still person questions astir precisely what happened that night."

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLAM) says it will beryllium rolling retired CCTV successful each its wards and opening a caller CCTV power centre successful November.