Woman, 20, in psychiatric hospital 'cried' and 'begged' to go home before dying

08 August 2023 , 19:24

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Lauren Bridges was found unconscious at Cheadle Royal Hospital in Manchester (Image: MEN Media)

A heartbroken mother told an inquest how her daughter tragically "cried for help" before she died while being treated at a psychiatric hospital.

Lindsey Bridges said her daughter Lauren was "massively failed by the system" and was "begging" for her to "get her out" of Cheadle Royal on the evening she was found unconscious in her bathroom at the residence. The mum told South Manchester Coroner's Court that the family had become "concerned" following a proposal that Lauren should be re-located from a "locked rehabilitation unit" at the Priory Hospital in Dorking to a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) at the group's Cheadle hospital.

"We were concerned because PICUs are noisy chaotic environments and not suitable for autistic people," the mum said. "Lauren rang me in distress every night and was so stressed about the prospect of moving she became mute."

Lindsey said that Lauren phoned her in a "hysterical" state after learning about the sudden move. "I woke up to a phone call from Lauren," she added. "She was hysterical and said hospital transport was on the way to pick her up. She was given just an hour to pack and we had no time to visit her again and didn’t get the opportunity to say goodbye."

Lauren Bridges was an aspiring doctor (MEN Media)

Lindsey said Lauren was 'begging' to come home on the day she was found unconscious (MEN Media)

Ms Bridges added that her daughter was "regularly threatened by" and "lived in fear" of other patients, including one who she claimed had threatened to kill her, reports Manchester Evening News. She also claimed that Lauren was once able to escape the residential facility in just a hospital gown and that at one point she "had all her possessions taken away from her" and was "told she had to earn them back" by staff.

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

Lauren was found unconscious in her bathroom at around 10pm on February 24 and was rushed to hospital where she was moved to the Intensive Care Unit for treatment. A CT scan suggested she had suffered a hypoxic brain injury and she was put on life support before she died on February 26. Lindsey told jurors: "My beautiful, great Lauren was a young autistic girl who was massively failed by the system. She worked so hard to be heard and to be understood and she cried out for help she desperately wanted.

The mum said she was particularly concerned by the night staff at Cheadle Royal (MEN Media)

"I was so proud of who she was. My daughter showed everyone how to be a better person. She was the most considerate human being who was able to show compassion and made such a difference to the world that we live in. To lose a child... at first you're in shock, and then denial. The first thing you lose is your smile. Holding my daughter's lifeless hand in mine will stay with me forever."

Mark Harris, who at the time was Head of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities at what was then the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said at the time Lauren was moved to the Cheadle hospital, there was "pressure" on beds in the Dorset area, but that the "premise was to bring anyone out of area back closer to home as quickly as possible." Lauren was detained under the mental health act and transferred to the privately-run hospital in Stockport in July 2021. Prior to this, her mum Lindsey told the court she had been an inpatient at a number of other hospitals, some of which were a significant distance away from their home. The inquest is ongoing.

Monica Charsley