A heartbroken dad whose daughter took her own life after a long struggle with mental illness says she suffered "a devastating injustice in her care".
Haydn Morgan and his wife Jayne would take turns sleeping outside their 26-year-old daughter Bronwen Morgan's door to stop her from trying to escape, self-harm or take her own life during the night.
He said: "She didn't like it, but we couldn't let her out of our sight. It was the only way we could keep her safe.
"We were fighting for her to be admitted to hospital but it was always refused. We just didn't know where to turn."
Growing up, Bronwen was a talented swimmer, piano player and popular Girl Guide.
She also loved working with children, and soon bagged herself a job in the behavioural unit at her old primary school, Wales Online reports.
During her time there, she earned the nickname "Bomb-proof Bron" as she was always calm and in control under pressure.
But during her time in Cardiff University, where she was training to become a mental health nurse, her own bouts of anxiety and depression intensified and she developed an eating disorder.
Her problems were further exacerbated by the pandemic when the usual activities she needed to manage her mental health disappeared virtually overnight.
This coincided with the services of her community psychiatric nurse (CPN) being taken away without warning.
Haydn, a dad-of-three, added that Bronwen would frequently be detained by police under the Mental Health Act and sent to Hafan Y Coed, a specialist psychiatric unit on the grounds of University Hospital Llandough.
However he claims she would often be discharged from the unit without the family knowing which led to her going missing.
"Bronwen began to feel helpless and isolated which meant her mental health spiralled out of control and left her in a place that she felt she could not find a way back from," added Haydn, from Cyncoed, Cardiff.
After many months of pain and trauma, Bronwen was allegedly told by medical staff that if she were to find herself in a crisis in the future, the police would arrest her.
This decision, her family claims, was the final straw.
Haydn, a retired police officer, admitted that he has struggled to shake the memory of the last day he saw Bronwen alive.
He recalled: "That week she was happy, smiling and in a really good place. We hadn't seen her like that for ages. Unbeknown to us she had this plan to take her own life. In a way she was saying goodbye to us, but nobody knew.
"She had been trying to do it for a long time. We've been told she was probably feeling a sense of elation and a sense of knowing that 'I'm going to take my life and my family will be able to get on with their lives'."
Bronwen was found unresponsive at a hotel in Pentwyn Road, Cardiff, and died on Thursday, August 27, 2020.
As well as writing to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in a last-ditch cry for help, she penned a letter to her mum, dad and two younger sisters, Tesni and Cerys.
"She said she wanted us to know that she had the best childhood ever and that we'd done nothing wrong. It was just heartbreaking," added Haydn.
"We had literally lost all hope. We couldn't find a way of going forward and her mental health team had locked her in this cocoon and insisted that this was the therapy she should be having."
Haydn, who is now seeing a therapist himself, added: "Now I'm retired, you see photographs of her around the house all the time and it brings it all back. I've been miserable, tired and angry - I think we all have."
Her heartbroken family claims that if they had been given more of a say in her care - which would have led to a more tailored and bespoke approach - she could still be alive today.
They said Bronwen experienced "a devastating injustice in her care" and was treated with a "blanket approach" which had little effect on improving her mental health.
Since the tragedy, Bronwen's family have set up Bronwen's Wish, a charity which aims to provide "safe spaces" for young people experiencing challenges with their mental health.
It aims to provide wellbeing pods in primary and secondary schools which will act as "quiet, relaxing and safe" places for pupils who want to talk about their mental health.
In June, Haydn and his dog Celog plan to walk the entire Pembrokeshire coastal path in one go - the equivalent distance to climbing Everest - to raise money for Bronwen's Wish.
To donate to the challenge, dubbed 'Man and Mutt climb Everest', please go here.
"It'll take three weeks in all as I have arthritis in both knees so I'll likely need some rest days. We'll use a few campsites along the way, do some wild camping and hopefully a night on the sofa halfway around. I know Bron will be in my thoughts the whole time."
A full inquest into Bronwen's death is set to take place between May 23 and 25 and the family are making a complaint against Cardiff and Vale University Health Board for failures in her care.
A spokeswoman for the health board said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Bronwen at this incredibly sad time. An investigation report has been shared with the family and we reiterate the offer for a further meeting to discuss the findings."
For confidential support the Samaritans can be contacted for free around the clock 365 days a year on 116 123.
