Town Quay body: Woman had threatened to harm herself (From Daily Echo)

I can only hope that the police officers involved are fully supported, as they did there job. She was let down again, by the mental health systems of this country, time and time again people are being released from institutions or in this case custody, after reviews by mental health professions, and within hours are taking their own lives. I know these people have an incredibly hard job, but if someone states they are going to harm themselves the least we can do is to hold them for a reasonable time and not release them within hours for them to carry out their threat. Rest in Peace Rita I hope you are at peace.

999medic wrote:
I can only hope that the police officers involved are fully supported, as they did there job. She was let down again, by the mental health systems of this country, time and time again people are being released from institutions or in this case custody, after reviews by mental health professions, and within hours are taking their own lives. I know these people have an incredibly hard job, but if someone states they are going to harm themselves the least we can do is to hold them for a reasonable time and not release them within hours for them to carry out their threat. Rest in Peace Rita I hope you are at peace.

Well said that man. The 'care in the community' system looks to have failed again. R.I.P. Rita, and condolences to the family.

It seems so hard that it is the Police complaints commission that are now involved. As said above, it is the mental health assessment team that have to be held to account here. They are so quick to dismiss people's cries for help with the comment that if you can't tell us exactly what help you need then we can't help. Just maybe this poor lady didn't know what help she needed - just that she needed something, someone.

If there is anything positive to take from this it is that she did not at least leave herself physically compromised for life by her attempt, but it should never have been left to get to this. I hope she has indeed found some peace and that her friends and family can take some comfort from the fact that her suffering is now over, even if theirs is not.

Another Sad story about the lack of support offered to those in greatest need. For those who grieve at her loss and struggle to cope there is a dedicated support group locally for all those affected by the sudden death of a loved one/friend. www.sobshampshire.bt
ck.co.uk

If you decided to destroy even a piece of paper, you could not do it. If you set fire to it, the heat would enter you and the cosmos. The smoke would rise in to the sky, and it may become part of a cloud and you may receive it on your head tonight as rain. The ash. This could be returned to the earth, and if you should return next year or perhaps in two years you may find growing from the ash a blade of grass, or a little flower. The piece of paper, like all forms, is of the form of no birth and no death.
There is change, but there is no death.

Stillness wrote:
If you decided to destroy even a piece of paper, you could not do it. If you set fire to it, the heat would enter you and the cosmos. The smoke would rise in to the sky, and it may become part of a cloud and you may receive it on your head tonight as rain. The ash. This could be returned to the earth, and if you should return next year or perhaps in two years you may find growing from the ash a blade of grass, or a little flower. The piece of paper, like all forms, is of the form of no birth and no death.
There is change, but there is no death.

What a wonderfully soothing message this is.

How much time and resources are now going to wasted investigating the police over this? They did their job and detained this woman. She was assessed by the experts who said she was fine. She wasn't.

The police did what they were supposed and yet they are now being investigated. Rediculous.

SotonLad wrote:
How much time and resources are now going to wasted investigating the police over this? They did their job and detained this woman. She was assessed by the experts who said she was fine. She wasn't.

The police did what they were supposed and yet they are now being investigated. Rediculous.

The police voluntarily referred the matter to the IPCC. This is standard procedure in circumstances like these.

I had a friend a who killed himself in 2002, you never forget but ultimately if someone wants to end it all, they will find a way to do so.
RIP Rita (2011)
RIP Kev (2002)

Huey wrote:
I had a friend a who killed himself in 2002, you never forget but ultimately if someone wants to end it all, they will find a way to do so.
RIP Rita (2011)
RIP Kev (2002)

oops not adjusted to new year yet Rita twenty twelve

Stephen J wrote:

SotonLad wrote:
How much time and resources are now going to wasted investigating the police over this? They did their job and detained this woman. She was assessed by the experts who said she was fine. She wasn't.

The police did what they were supposed and yet they are now being investigated. Rediculous.

The police voluntarily referred the matter to the IPCC. This is standard procedure in circumstances like these.

Just because it's a standard procedure it doesn't make it a correct one.

I am very upset by people blaming the mental health assessment team for failing this lady. They did not fail her. Every precaution and consideration is taken into account when assessing people in these situations and every effort is made to make sure people are safe. Sometimes people lie about how they feel and unless you are Derren Brown or a mind reader, you will never know if they are lying or not, which makes detaining a person against their will very difficult to do unless the law is changed. It is sad what happened to Rita but sometimes people have to take responsibility for their own actions.

In summary, I feel it is easy for people to comment on things they know nothing about. They see the tip of the iceberg.

gazcar40 wrote:
I am very upset by people blaming the mental health assessment team for failing this lady. They did not fail her. Every precaution and consideration is taken into account when assessing people in these situations and every effort is made to make sure people are safe. Sometimes people lie about how they feel and unless you are Derren Brown or a mind reader, you will never know if they are lying or not, which makes detaining a person against their will very difficult to do unless the law is changed. It is sad what happened to Rita but sometimes people have to take responsibility for their own actions. In summary, I feel it is easy for people to comment on things they know nothing about. They see the tip of the iceberg.

well said my friend.

Victoria Nye being a good example

Stillness wrote:

Stephen J wrote:

SotonLad wrote:
How much time and resources are now going to wasted investigating the police over this? They did their job and detained this woman. She was assessed by the experts who said she was fine. She wasn't.

The police did what they were supposed and yet they are now being investigated. Rediculous.

The police voluntarily referred the matter to the IPCC. This is standard procedure in circumstances like these.

Just because it's a standard procedure it doesn't make it a correct one.

True. But what makes it wrong?

Stephen J wrote:

Stillness wrote:

Stephen J wrote:

SotonLad wrote:
How much time and resources are now going to wasted investigating the police over this? They did their job and detained this woman. She was assessed by the experts who said she was fine. She wasn't.

The police did what they were supposed and yet they are now being investigated. Rediculous.

The police voluntarily referred the matter to the IPCC. This is standard procedure in circumstances like these.

Just because it's a standard procedure it doesn't make it a correct one.

True. But what makes it wrong?

Why is it right to inform the IPCC about a decision not made by a police officer?

ReverendPaul wrote:
Another Sad story about the lack of support offered to those in greatest need. For those who grieve at her loss and struggle to cope there is a dedicated support group locally for all those affected by the sudden death of a loved one/friend. www.sobshampshire.bt

ck.co.uk

Unfortunately you cant make people accept support they dont want! Perhaps it is better to keep opinions to ones self rather than look foolish commenting on things one doesnt know.

****-Biker wrote:

gazcar40 wrote:
I am very upset by people blaming the mental health assessment team for failing this lady. They did not fail her. Every precaution and consideration is taken into account when assessing people in these situations and every effort is made to make sure people are safe. Sometimes people lie about how they feel and unless you are Derren Brown or a mind reader, you will never know if they are lying or not, which makes detaining a person against their will very difficult to do unless the law is changed. It is sad what happened to Rita but sometimes people have to take responsibility for their own actions. In summary, I feel it is easy for people to comment on things they know nothing about. They see the tip of the iceberg.

well said my friend.

I think it might be helpful to expand on the reference to saying that sometimes people lie. Speaking from personal experience it was 14 hours after I had been detained under s 136 before I was assessed. Prior to being detained, due to my distress, I had probably been awake for most of the preceeding 38 hours. At that point, I hardly knew which way was up and recognising or accepting the truth of my situation was nigh on impossible.

I quite accept that possibly some of the things I said may have been inaccurate but there does come a point where just maybe an individual is not responsible and their level of distress needs to be recognised.

It is indeed easy to sit and type at a screen removed from those days and feelings. Sadly though not all of us are without knowledge of the subject and, even more sadly, that can impact on a future willingness to seek help.

s e reader wrote:

****-Biker wrote:

gazcar40 wrote:
I am very upset by people blaming the mental health assessment team for failing this lady. They did not fail her. Every precaution and consideration is taken into account when assessing people in these situations and every effort is made to make sure people are safe. Sometimes people lie about how they feel and unless you are Derren Brown or a mind reader, you will never know if they are lying or not, which makes detaining a person against their will very difficult to do unless the law is changed. It is sad what happened to Rita but sometimes people have to take responsibility for their own actions. In summary, I feel it is easy for people to comment on things they know nothing about. They see the tip of the iceberg.

well said my friend.

I think it might be helpful to expand on the reference to saying that sometimes people lie. Speaking from personal experience it was 14 hours after I had been detained under s 136 before I was assessed. Prior to being detained, due to my distress, I had probably been awake for most of the preceeding 38 hours. At that point, I hardly knew which way was up and recognising or accepting the truth of my situation was nigh on impossible.

I quite accept that possibly some of the things I said may have been inaccurate but there does come a point where just maybe an individual is not responsible and their level of distress needs to be recognised.

It is indeed easy to sit and type at a screen removed from those days and feelings. Sadly though not all of us are without knowledge of the subject and, even more sadly, that can impact on a future willingness to seek help.

People who are determined to end their lives say anything just to get out of a situation, and if they say all the right things it is impossile to detain that person. That is the law. Unless the law is changed this sort of incident will still happen. You just cant detain someone against their will if you do not have the evidence to back it up.

This lady was assessed and there were obviously no grounds to detain her or else they would have. I know as i have one experience in this process.

gazcar40 wrote:

s e reader wrote:

****-Biker wrote:

gazcar40 wrote:
I am very upset by people blaming the mental health assessment team for failing this lady. They did not fail her. Every precaution and consideration is taken into account when assessing people in these situations and every effort is made to make sure people are safe. Sometimes people lie about how they feel and unless you are Derren Brown or a mind reader, you will never know if they are lying or not, which makes detaining a person against their will very difficult to do unless the law is changed. It is sad what happened to Rita but sometimes people have to take responsibility for their own actions. In summary, I feel it is easy for people to comment on things they know nothing about. They see the tip of the iceberg.

well said my friend.

I think it might be helpful to expand on the reference to saying that sometimes people lie. Speaking from personal experience it was 14 hours after I had been detained under s 136 before I was assessed. Prior to being detained, due to my distress, I had probably been awake for most of the preceeding 38 hours. At that point, I hardly knew which way was up and recognising or accepting the truth of my situation was nigh on impossible.

I quite accept that possibly some of the things I said may have been inaccurate but there does come a point where just maybe an individual is not responsible and their level of distress needs to be recognised.

It is indeed easy to sit and type at a screen removed from those days and feelings. Sadly though not all of us are without knowledge of the subject and, even more sadly, that can impact on a future willingness to seek help.

People who are determined to end their lives say anything just to get out of a situation, and if they say all the right things it is impossile to detain that person. That is the law. Unless the law is changed this sort of incident will still happen. You just cant detain someone against their will if you do not have the evidence to back it up.

This lady was assessed and there were obviously no grounds to detain her or else they would have. I know as i have one experience in this process.

Oops!....That should read "some experience in this process" !

And therein lies the sadness behind all of this. Two commentators on different sides of the fence who have a less than satisfactory experience to report, yet the legal framework remains and the process continues.

Meanwhile a lady called Rita is so without hope she takes her own life.

Stillness wrote:

Stephen J wrote:

Stillness wrote:

Stephen J wrote:

SotonLad wrote:
How much time and resources are now going to wasted investigating the police over this? They did their job and detained this woman. She was assessed by the experts who said she was fine. She wasn't.

The police did what they were supposed and yet they are now being investigated. Rediculous.

The police voluntarily referred the matter to the IPCC. This is standard procedure in circumstances like these.

Just because it's a standard procedure it doesn't make it a correct one.

True. But what makes it wrong?

Why is it right to inform the IPCC about a decision not made by a police officer?

The fact is that someone had been in police custody and was dead soon afterwards. It is quite reasonable that the police would therefore want a full and independent investigation into exactly what happened and the circumstances surrounding it, hence the voluntary referral. If the death had occurred while in police custody the referral to the IPCC would have been mandatory even if no complaint had been made.