Graphic designer hanged herself when she was let out for one night from ... trends now
A graphic designer hanged herself when she was let out for one night from a psychiatric unit after her partner who did not want a baby left her and embarked on a hurtful custody battle over their pet dog.
An inquest jury was told that Caroline Forte, 35, from Brighton hanged herself at her elderly parents' home on February 20 last year.
She had initially been sectioned under the Mental Health Act at a hospital psychiatric unit but, against the wishes of her family, had been allowed to go home for a night - a decision which ended in her tragic death the same day.
Caroline, who was privately educated at Brighton Girls School, was 'hit hard' when her relationship with her partner, Barry Wickens, broke down during lockdown in 2020.
The couple had bought and renovated their first home together but difficulties arose when they disagreed over having a baby.
An inquest jury was told that Caroline Forte, 35, from Brighton hanged herself at her elderly parents' home after she had been allowed to go home for a night
A five-day inquest into Caroline's death in Brighton heard how Caroline struggled with her mental health following the end of the relationship, before being admitted to a psychiatric ward in Eastbourne District General Hospital.
Despite family insisting it was 'unsafe' for her to come home for an overnight stay, the hospital allowed her release and she was found dead shortly afterwards.
Penelope Schofield, the acting senior coroner for Brighton and Hove, told the inquest jury that 'facts needed to be established' around Caroline's death and that the family had waited over a year for answers.
She said: 'The family have indicated that they weren't given any advice on how best to support Caroline.'
Attending the inquest were Caroline's parents, Gillian and Anthony Forte, her older sisters, Liz and Sandra and her older brother, Chris.
In her witness statement, her sister Liz said: 'We have lost a vibrant, clever, kind, loving and much-adored member of our family whose 35 years are certainly not defined by this relatively short illness.
'Caro - as she was known to us - was a happy, fun-loving person, the baby of the family. She was an extremely talented and very successful graphic designer with an infectious giggle
