Police cadet, 19, who died on psychiatric ward due to lapses in her five-minute ... trends now
A police cadet who died on an NHS psychiatric ward due to 'lapses' in her five-minute suicide watch should have been sent home but bosses were more worried about their reputation, an inquest has heard.
Cariss Stone, 19, had been detained under the Mental Health Act when she was found unresponsive in the bathroom of her room at Wellsprings Hospital in Taunton, Somerset in August 2019.
An inquest into her death heard the police cadet volunteer, who had been detained six times previously, was kept in an intensive psychiatric unit despite it being recognised that she needed to be discharged into the community.
The inquest saw documents which suggested that this was, at least in part, motivated by a desire to avoid legal or reputational risk to NHS Somerset in the event that there was a 'serious untoward incident review.'
At it's conclusion, the jury concluded that Cariss' death was 'accidental' - contributed to by 'deficiencies' in the way her observations were carried out.
Gina Schiraldi, with her daughter Cariss Stone who was found unresponsive in the bathroom of her room at Wellsprings Hospital in Taunton, Somerset in August 2019.
The police cadet volunteer was known to mental health services since the age of 15 and had been detained six times previously
The 19-year-old, who had a long history of anorexia, self-harm and suicide attempts, was being held under section at the Holford Ward at Wellsprings Hospital from June 2019.
She was meant to be observed every five-minutes, but according to a health assistant who was overseeing Cariss' care, she had 'loads' of patients to watch and no training on how to monitor them, the inquest heard.
The former police cadet was pronounced dead at Musgrove Park Hospital two days after she was found unresponsive by the healthcare assistant.
Cariss' mother, Gina Schiraldi, said her daughter was 'let down' by the services that were meant to support her and 'implored' the trust to 'reflect' on the issues raised.
Speaking at the end of the inquest, she added: 'We miss Cariss very much. There is a space where she should be - she is missing from family photos, and there is an empty chair where she should be sat at the dinner table.
'There is only silence where there should be music and laughter, enjoying time and making plans with friends and family.
'Had Cariss' care been managed differently, we think she would still be with us and working towards her hopes and dreams for the future.
'Despite her challenges Cariss worked so hard and she was so bright.
'She needed help with learning how to cope with her condition, and she was let down by the services that were
