Inquest begins over death of Sussex teenager in inpatient care
Ellame Ford-Dunn died on Worthing Hospital grounds, where she'd been admitted for mental health concerns.
An inquest is beginning today into the death of a teenager who died while she was inpatient care .
Ellame Ford-Dunn took her own life on Worthing Hospital grounds, where she'd been admitted for over mental health concerns.
The 16-year-old had run away from a nurse who was escorting her down a corridor in March 2022.
Family "will never be whole again", says mum
In a victim impact statement read to the court, her mum, Nancy Ford-Dunn wept next to a photo of a smiling Ellame, as she shared her family "will never be whole again":
"Wherever we go, whatever we do, there is an Ellame shaped hole in the world, and her absence screams in our ears every day.
"There are perhaps more obvious impacts – the dark grief, the anger, the constant 'what ifs', the deep, deep pain of knowing we will never hold our beautiful daughter again, and never hear her voice.
"The only way we can care for Ellame now is to tend her grave."
Death 'a tragedy': NHS
Meanwhile, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust described her death as a "tragedy for her and those who loved her":
"Colleagues involved in her care are devastated by her death, and the impact it continues to have on her family and friends.
“Everyone accepts that people with acute mental illness should not be in general hospital wards or A&E departments, but we had a responsibility to protect her while she was in our care, and we offer our heartfelt apologies for not being able to do that.
“Ever since Ellame’s death we have agreed that our ‘missing person’ policy, and training around it, was not clear enough.
"We highlighted that, made improvements, and today we accepted the single charge relating to that policy.
“We are committed to working with our partners to ensure there are better ways to care for people who are at a point of such vulnerability and distress.”
The inquest is expected to conclude early February.