A 12-year-old girl died after being found unresponsive at a mental health unit while suffering from an acute psychotic episode, an inquest has heard.
Mia Lucas had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act after hearing voices and displaying worrying behaviour when she died early last year.
She had been transferred to the Becton Unit in Sheffield on 4 January following a period of worrying behaviour which concluded with her trying to take knives from the kitchen at home, a jury inquest on Monday heard.
Her parents had taken her to the accident and emergency unit at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre five days earlier after catching Mia with the knives.
Doctors concluded she was a potential risk to herself and others.
Sheffield Medico Legal Centre heard from a child and adolescent psychiatry consultant who said Mia had been experiencing increasingly worrying behaviour in the months leading up to her being sectioned.
Mia Lucas died after being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Credit: Family photograph
Dr Aiesha BaMashmous said she had been hearing voices telling she needed to go to heaven, otherwise something would happen to her loved ones.
The jury heard that this behaviour had worsened in the months leading up to New Year’s Eve and that she continued to be agitated and irritable during her stay at the unit.
When asked by coroner Tanyka Rawden what she believed may have caused Mia’s psychotic episode, Dr BaMashmous said it could have resulted from a number of factors, including that she had been suffering from verbal and physical bullying at school and going through a house move.
“Maybe she was quite overwhelmed and that could have added to her presentation,” the consultant said.
Dr BaMashmous also told the inquest that Mia had been hallucinating and made attempts to self-harm while she was in hospital in Nottingham.
Paediatric colleagues at the hospital had also been asked by psychiatric staff to carry out tests for any possible physiological illness which could have caused her psychotic episode, Dr BaMashmous said.
Rebecca Keating, a clinical director at the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, explained how the Becton Centre was chosen for Mia’s admission because it was one of the few units that accepts patients under 13 years old, but they did not have a bed available until 9 January , when she was transferred.
The coroner told the jury of seven women and five men that she wanted them to consider Mia’s “mental health history, including the cause of her behaviour” during the course of the inquest.
She also instructed the jury to think about the placement of Mia at the Becton Centre, as well as the care she received at that centre “including risk assessments around self harm”.
Mia Lucas with her mum Chloe. Credit: Family photograph
Mia’s mother, Chloe Hayes, sat in the public gallery listening to the first day of the inquest with a number of members of her family.
Ms Hayes has described previously how her daughter was interested in singing, drawing, crafts and horse riding, and how she had ambitions to either open her own beauty salon or become a vet.
She sat with a knitted doll and a photograph of her daughter with a horse.
The coroner asked if she could see both and Ms Hayes explained that the doll was a representation of Mia in her riding clothes, made for her by a mother of one of Mia’s friends.
Ms Rawden said: “What a fantastic thing to have.” The inquest was adjourned until Tuesday.
Worried about mental health?
Who to contact if you or someone you know needs help:
-
Samaritans operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year, by calling 116 123. 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
Back to top
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.
