Rose Chambers: Shrewsbury teenager intended to take her own life, coroner concludes

Rose Jessica Maia Chambers, 18, who lived at the Crabapple Community in Berrington, was declared a high risk missing person on May 1 this year, and the following day her body was found in an area near Porthill in Shrewsbury.

An inquest was held last month over two days, when coroner for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin John Ellery, heard how Miss Chambers had suffered mental health issues, and had previously made attempts to take her own life.

He adjourned the inquest, to hear from mental health nurse for the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Sophie Carney, who was unable to attend in November.

Yesterday she attended the re-commencement of the inquest at Shirehall, where she explained how she saw Miss Chambers on three occasions after an initial assessment on January 22 this year.

Concerns

Previously the inquest had been told how on April 30, Miss Chambers told Helen Jones from the Shropshire Crisis Team, that she intended to kill herself that night or the following day.

When asked about this by solicitor for Miss Chambers’ mother Kaye, James Gamble, Miss Carney, who had also seen the teenager, said that there were was no evidence that she was actively suicidal.

She was also questioned about not exploring a suicide plan that Miss Chambers had refused to disclose, and claims from Miss Chambers she wasn’t being listened to.

Miss Carney said: “Anyone who wants to end their life and has a plan, of course there are concerns.

"I didn’t believe she wanted to die because she had made plans for the future.

“I was surprised and disappointed she felt we were not listening to her because we had engaged with her in all of her appointments.

“Sometimes intent to kill is intent, with the word kill. To die is sometimes a thought. Every engagement I had with her she had thoughts of wanting to die.”

Need help?

Help and advice for those having a mental health crisis is available from a number of agencies in Shropshire.

• Shropshire Mind - 01743 368647 or shropshiremind.org

• Samaritans - 116 123 or samaritans.org

• Access Service for Adult Mental Health - 03001 240365

• Every Mind Matters - nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters

Miss Carney added that the teenager was engaging well with the service, and said: “She was working with us and I believed she had hope for the future.”

The inquest also heard further concerns from the family about not recording phone calls made to the trust, and Miss Chambers being prescribed Sertraline, along with other concerns about her care.

Before recording a conclusion of suicide, Mr Ellery read an extract of a note left by Miss Chambers, which said: “I am sorry to whoever finds this, this is to anyone who wants to know.

“It is nobody’s fault but my own, I am just not made for life.”

Mr Ellery said: “I am sure Rose did the act which led to her death and intended to kill herself.”

Report

Sarah Hankey, who appeared on behalf of the trust, gave her condolences to Miss Chambers’ family, as did Mr Ellery, who said: “I want to offer condolences for your loss. I hope this examination has answered your questions. It is not easy for anyone, the family and for those who looked after Rose.”

Mr Ellery will now consider whether or not Miss Chambers’ death was reasonably preventable, and a Regulation 28 report on whether lessons can be learned from her death will be sent to the family and to the trust on Friday.

A statement from Miss Chambers’ family has said they want the trust to learn lessons from the teenager’s death, to make sure other families don’t have to go through the same thing.

The statement said: “This has been an incredibly difficult time for our family and we hope that after this inquest the mental health trust reflect upon Rose’s death and the care that was provided for her.

"We don’t want anyone to go through what she went through and we want lessons to be learned.

“We can’t change what happened, but it is important that other families don’t go through the same thing.

“She said I am going to kill myself. What more does someone have to say?”

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has said it will follow any recommendations the coroner makes.