Libby Rose: Fight for inquest into teenager's death after bulimia battle goes on
A fund set up to help the mother of a 16-year-old girl who died from bulimia to fight for an inquest into her daughter’s death has raised more than £5,000.
Libby Rose died on August 26, 2017, at her home in Admaston after a battle with the eating disorder bulimia. A post-mortem concluded that Libby died from hypokalaemia, or low potassium levels that led to a cardiac arrest.
Because the causes were deemed to be natural, no inquest was held.
Her mother Rosemary Westwood-Rose has been calling on the coroner to conduct for “full and fierce” inquest and wants a court to consider whether anything could have been done to prevent her death, and whether care for people with eating disorders needs to improve.
In December she launched a CrowdJustice campaign try and raise funds for her legal fees, and £5,135 has been raised since the Shropshire Star shed light on her efforts.
Enough has been raised to pay for initial solicitor fees, and the money will also go towards finding an expert psychiatrist to provide evidence to the coroner – a process which is underway.
“I am extremely grateful for the support people have given,” says Rosemary. “This is the start of the fight, and we are now waiting to move forward.
“I am pleased that people are taking it seriously. People are sitting up and are starting to take notice.”
Since going public with the battle last month Rosemary has been inundated with messages on social media in support of her campaign and also from many people across the country who are dealing with eating disorders.
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard is supporting Rosemary and has written to the coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin John Ellery, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock MP, the chief executive of NICE and the managing director of Newbridge House eating disorder clinic in Birmingham where Libby was treated before her death, and is currently awaiting responses.
“The fact that the MP and our solicitors are helping, as well as the public is comforting and re-assuring that I am not on my own in this fight,” Rosemary added.
If you would like to contribute to the CrowdJustice campaign then please click here.
The sooner someone gets treatment for an eating disorder, the better their chances of recovery. Anyone worried about their own or someone else’s health can contact eating disorder charity Beat’s Helpline, 365 days a year, via phone on, email, anonymous one-to-one webchat or social media messaging. Or call: Adult Helpline - 0808 801 0677; Studentline - 0808 801 0811; Youthline - 0808 801 0711.
