The mother of a 21-year-old student who died in a suspected suicide at the Palmerston North Hospital mental health ward in 2014 says her daughter wanted to live.
A picture of Erica Hume is sitting in the courtroom next to where her mother Carey and father Owen are sitting. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
But, when Erica Hume sought help from health professionals, she was let down and left alone.
Today in Palmerston North, Carey Hume told the inquest into Erica's death that the tragedy was preventable.
In front of Coroner Matthew Bates, she urged health officials to take responsibility and learn lessons from what happened so no other families lose a loved one.
Hume said Erica was ignored by staff on the mental health ward, until it was too late - Erica was injured on 7 May, 2014, and died nine days later.
To prove her point, Hume played CCTV footage from the mental health ward to the hearing that showed nobody checking on her daughter for about 30 minutes after she returned to her room from lunch. In contrast, 28 staff were on the scene after she was found.
"Imagine the difference if just one of those people had been available that morning, come down and spent time with Erica."
Her family didn't know she was admitted to the ward on 6 May, 2014, and because she didn't have her phone on her, she had no way of contacting anyone.
Hume said her daughter's fate was completely in the hands of the hospital.
"We know what happened to Erica. They didn't pay attention to her because she was quiet, not disruptive, so she could wait.
"Well she waited and waited and waited, and no one came."
After her admission, she was not seen by a medical doctor or a ward psychiatrist.
The inquest has heard Erica had mental health struggles for years, but her mother said she did not want to die. She planned to go overseas to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and visit friends in Chicago, Canada, New York and England.
She was two papers away from finishing her bachelor of arts at Massey University. Her BA was subsequently awarded posthumously.
She completed an assignment the day before her admission and was working on another one at the ward. Carey and Erica's father, Owen Hume, handed the partially completed work in to Massey and it was graded B+.
Hume said a huge shock came on 12 May, when Erica was in intensive care, and a doctor told them about the death of patient Shaun Gray at the ward the month before. Coroner Bates presided over an inquest into Gray's death in June and has reserved his decision.
The effect of Erica finding out about Gray's death would have been devastating, because she considered the ward her "safe place".
It would have also changed her mindset from when she was admitted, when she said she didn't want her family informed.
"It is easy to forget amongst all these legalese days that this inquest was about Erica - how she reached out for help when she was at her most vulnerable, how she put her trust in the hospital to keep her safe," Hume said.
"We have waited eight years for this inquest. During the inquest we often heard 'can't recall', 'can't remember'.
"There is no denying the eight-year delay in getting to inquest has impacted what we could find out."
The inquest had yet to hear from three key people, two doctors and a nurse, on duty on 7 May, 2014, Hume said.
The hearing was later told it was possible they would give statements, but because they were overseas they could not be compelled to give evidence.
"There is something wrong with the system when that is allowed to happen," Hume said.
She criticised the former MidCentral District Health Board for not keeping all CCTV footage from the day, and urged health officials to take responsibility for and learn from what happened so no other families would be faced the pain of losing a loved one.
"We consider that in 2014 there were major systemic issues at [MidCentral] that went right to the top of
management and governance.
"The bottom line was driven by the dollar and there was, for some, an acceptable collateral damage of patient harm."
Hume told the hearing about Erica's personality - her humour, her financial savvy, her fashion sense, her singing and her academic success.
"We have lost Erica forever. We do not want one more family to lose their loved one. When they reach out for help when they are most vulnerable, they should get that help, should be kept safe so they can leave, carry on and live life," Hume said.
"When Erica was trying to get help, Erica used to say no one was listening to her. We hope that
you listen to her now."
At the end of the three-week inquest, Coroner Bates reserved his decision.
