The heartbroken mum of a teenage boy who tragically took his own life has said that he was 'let down' when he was alive and is now being 'let down' in death due to a delay in holding an inquest.
Tom Hollman, aged 16, died on September 9, 2017, in his mum's arms in hospital.
Tom had long struggled with his mental health and his mum Sharon, who lives in Malpas, Cheshire, said that he was failed on a number of occasions in the years before his death.
And now she has said that he is still being let down as a result of long delays in holding an inquest into his death, Cheshire Live reports.
Tom first made an attempt on his life in 2015, before he was due to go and live with his dad in Kent.
As a result, the family got the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Cheshire involved.
But when the teenager moved to Gravesend, Sharon said CAHMS informed them they could not do 'cross-county referrals' and that he would need to see a GP in Kent 'as soon as possible'. He never went.
Tom's mental health began to deteriorate further while he was at school in Gravesend. At both the schools he attended, he was often pulled up for bad behaviour.
He was also using cannabis, which Sharon believes he used to 'dull the thoughts and feelings in his head'. She added: "He was basically crying out for help but because they weren't aware of how bad his mental health was, they didn't do anything about it."
This ended up with Tom being excluded after putting his hand through a window. Sharon believes this should have been classed as self harm and that a safeguarding referral should have been made.
"Basically, Tom was failed in that not one person would ever step up and say 'why is he behaving like this'. There were just lots of missed opportunities," she said.
Sharon, who said she wasn't aware of everything going on at the time, would often contact the schools down in Gravesend. But she said this made her the 'baddy' in Tom's head and that he was 'not impressed' with her trying to help.
Tom was then referred to an alternative education service. However, his mental health continued to decline and he moved back to live with his mum on September 3 2017 - the day before he fell from the car park.
Sharon, through her solicitor, has pushed the coroner to hold an Article 2 inquest. These are 'enhanced investigations' that are held when there are claims the state, or its agents, have 'failed to protect the deceased against a human threat or other risk’.
She said: "The reason I was fighting for it was because I wanted things to change. I want people to acknowledge what they'd done wrong and for us to move forward in terms of what we can do to make sure another child doesn't go through this.
"Every behaviour is communication. There are too many teenagers even now, when we know so much about mental health and what young lads are going through, who just don't talk or open up."
But despite his inquest being opened in September 2017, as well as two subsequent pre-inquest reviews, the full hearing has still not taken place - in September it will be five years since Tom died. Sharon has blamed the delay in gathering evidence, the pandemic and coroners leaving the service.
Sharon's solicitors were sent a letter on April 22 this year updating them on the reason for the delay. Former Cheshire coroner Peter Sigee had been in charge of the case but left the service to take up another position.
The letter from senior coroner Alan Moore reads: "As a result of Mr Sigee’s departure, all his cases now need to be looked at and reallocated to another coroner. Given the number of Mr Sigee’s cases this will inevitably take time.
"In addition, I retire in June so for a period of time we will be operating with a reduced number of coroners. Mr Sigee is producing detailed handover notes on all his cases.
"Once these are available myself and my Area Coroner, Mrs Claire Welch, will begin the process of reallocating Mr Sigee’s cases to another coroner. She or I will be in touch with you once that process is complete. The coroner who takes over the case will also write to you outlining the next steps with a view to progressing the case as soon as possible.
"I apologise to you for any inconvenience this will cause. Please be assured that this case is being prioritised and we will write to you again with a further update as soon as possible."
Mental health support services
- Age UK - 01606 720 434 (http://www.ageuk.org.uk/cheshire/our-services/)
- Friends of the Elderly – Be a Friend Today Campaign 020 7730 8263 (http://www.beafriendtoday.org.uk/)
- MIND -0300 123 3393
- Samaritans - 08457 90 90 90
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) - 0800 58 58 58 or text 07537 404717
A spokesperson for the Cheshire Coroner's Service told Cheshire Live that they do not comment on individual cases but said Tom's case was being treated 'as a priority'. A third pre-inquest review has since been scheduled for June 24.
Asked how she felt about the delays, Sharon said: "It's as if Tom isn't important to them at all. He was let down when he was alive, nobody was interested. Now after he has died, I'm still having to fight because nobody is interested."
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