The first day of the inquest into the death of Mia Lucas, a 12-year-old girl who passed away in January 2024 at Sheffield Children's Hospital less than a month after being detained under the Mental Health Act, has revealed details of her acute psychiatric crisis. Mia, from Arnold in Nottingham, was initially admitted to the emergency department of the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham on New Year's Eve. She was detained under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act on January 4 and subsequently transferred to the Becton Centre in Sheffield on January 9. Tragically, she was discovered unresponsive at the specialist mental health unit on January 29 and was pronounced dead the following day, the inquest at Sheffield's Medico-Legal Centre was told, reports The WP Times with reference to the ВВС.
The court heard compelling evidence that Mia's grandmother had called emergency services because the girl was attempting to retrieve knives from the kitchen and reported hearing persistent voices. Mia informed doctors that she had been hearing voices for approximately a year and experiencing thoughts of self-harm. Her behaviour was so extreme that, following a mandatory assessment, she was formally detained due to the severity of her condition and the perceived risk she posed to herself or others.
Dr Aiesha BaMashmous, a consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry, testified before the inquest jury that Mia’s personality had changed and her behaviour had significantly worsened in the months leading up to her New Year’s Eve admission. The assessment concluded that Mia was suffering an "acute psychotic episode" and posed a risk. Dr BaMashmous confirmed that while Mia was being cared for on the paediatric ward at the Queen's Medical Centre, she was overheard discussing self-harm and taking her own life with another patient. Due to her acting "confused and agitated," she eventually required sedation.
When questioned by Senior Coroner Tanyka Rawden about the potential cause of Mia's psychotic episode, Dr BaMashmous suggested a combination of factors. The consultant noted that Mia had experienced both verbal and physical bullying at school and had recently endured a family move. Dr BaMashmous stated: "Maybe she was quite overwhelmed and that could have added to her presentation." The jury was also informed that Mia had suffered a viral infection a few weeks before the crisis, and psychiatric staff had requested that paediatric colleagues run tests to rule out any underlying physical illness that might explain her psychotic symptoms.
Rebecca Keating, a clinical director at the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, explained that the Becton Centre at Sheffield Children's Hospital was selected for Mia's admission because it was one of the few facilities that accepted patients under the age of 13. However, a suitable bed only became available on January 9, leading to her transfer. Coroner Rawden outlined the three main areas of focus for the jury of seven women and five men over the 10-day hearing: Mia’s mental health history and the cause of her behaviour, the suitability of her placement at the Becton Centre, and the quality of care received there, specifically concerning risk assessments around self-harm. Mia's mother, Chloe Hayes, attended the proceedings with several family members. Ms Hayes has previously shared that Mia enjoyed singing, drawing, crafts, and horse riding, and dreamed of opening a beauty salon or becoming a vet. The inquest is ongoing.
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