Tragic student sent final Snapchat to pal who raced to try and save her life
A young woman sent a tragic Snapchat message to her friend just moments before taking her own life, an inquest has heard.
Ava-Jane Van Der Merwe has now been described as a promising student whose life was full of "potential".
The 21-year-old died ahead of the anniversary of her dad's suicide, as she sent a pal a heartbreaking message who tried in vain to save her life.
The student from Burscough, West Lancashire first saw her GP in 2014 when she was just 13 following concerns over her mental health, report Lancs Live.
The following year her family suffered the tragic loss of her father Peter, who took his own life aged 38.
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Then in 2016 Ava-Jane's little sister Esme died following a battle with Rett Syndrome, a rare brain disorder.
Following the tragic death of two family members, Ava-Jane, who was studying at biochemistry at the University of Liverpool, was referred to mental health services several times.
Ava-Jane with her mum, dad, sister and one of her two brothers before the deaths of Esme and Peter (Liverpool ECHO)While she initially expressed a willingness to engage with these appointments, she failed to attend several follow-ups.
In June 2021 she attended A&E at Southport and Ormskirk District General Hospital after telling a friend she felt suicidal.
And previously Ava-Jane's mum Mary, a midwife, spoke out about how she endured financial difficulties while she was off work while grieving for her daughter and husband.
Tragically, in August 2022, Ava-Jane's friend Jay Davies was forced to call 999 after she sent him a message on Snapchat telling him that she had taken an overdose.
He immediately rushed to the locks by the Ship Inn after Ava-Jane informed him where she was.
In a statement made later to police Jay, a bar manager, said: "I arrived first [before the police]. She opened her eyes and was grumbling. I pulled her away from the canal.
"Her mobile phone rang and I answered it and a woman said she was Jo, Ava's friend Hannah's mum. Fifteen minutes later the police arrived."
An inquest held on Monday 9 January at Preston Coroner's Court heard how although Ava-Jane was initially semi-conscious, her condition deteriorated as police and Jay waited for the ambulance.
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Officers then began CPR but tragically Ava-Jane was pronounced dead, aged just 21, at Southport and Ormskirk General Hospital at 4.46m on August 13 last year.
Ava-Jane was studying at biochemistry at the University of Liverpool (Liverpool ECHO)Ava-Jane's mum Mary, who asked for the hearing to go ahead without her attending, said in a statement that Ava-Jane had suffered with depression since she was 18.
Referring to the night before Ava-Jane passed, Mrs Van Der Merwe said: "I was working that day, I arrived home at 7pm and went to see Ava-Jane in her bedroom and asked if she wanted a takeaway.
"I went to bed and had no idea she had gone out."
The inquest heard several statements from mental health practitioners who previously had dealings with Ava-Jane over the years.
It was heard that the student told them that she had suicidal thoughts but had not acted on them.
Ava-Jane's GP, Dr Rachel Tilley, said that the night before Ava-Jane died she had attended an appointment at 7pm.
An urgent referral was made to the mental health team and Ava-Jane should have been contacted within one to five hours by staff from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust - but it wasn't until the following day when Ava-Jane had already died.
An investigation by the NHS trust revealed that the staff member who was working when the GP's referral was made "was working within the old time frames" and therefore hadn't realised Ava-Jane should have been contacted immediately.
Issues with staffing had affected the trust at the time but these were said to have been resolved and other changes have been brought in following Ava-Jane's death.
Assistant Coroner Kate Bisset, who had been provided with a picture of Ava-Jane by her family, described the 21-year-old, who had been enjoying working as a medical secretary at a GP practice, as a "wonderful and happy young woman" who had a bright future ahead of her.
Returning a conclusion of suicide Ms Bisset said: "I am so very sorry to Ava-Jane's family for their loss. Her life had so much promise and potential not withstanding the tragedies she had experienced."
The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email [email protected] or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.
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