A British mental health blogger and successful sailor died in a locked psychiatric facility after ingesting a toxic chemical she purchased in Russia and misrepresented as protein powder.
The Manchester Evening News reported on Monday that Beth Matthews, 26, was not allowed to open her mail at The Priory Cheadle Royal hospital in 2022, but she did so due to “inconsistencies” in her care.
Claire Smith, a police coroner, stated that Matthews’ phone revealed a purchase of the chemical from Russia as well as multiple trips to internet suicide forums.
The Cornwall woman, who competed in the Fastnet yacht race when she was 15 years old, passed away on March 21, 2022, while under the care of the hospital’s staff.
The Times of London stated that she was being treated in a secure unit for a personality problem after being held under the Mental Health Act for “specialized therapy.”
According to the Evening News, Smith told the inquest at Stockport Coroner’s Court that detectives established Matthews ordered the unidentified chemical herself and that no illegal activity was involved in her death.
Beth Matthews, 26, an ardent sailor and blogger, died in a psychiatric institution after taking a toxic drug she obtained from Russia.
Twitter / Beth Matthews’s account
Matthews fainted after opening the package containing protein powder, as she had warned the employees. According to the report, she had cardiac arrest and was transported to Wythenshawe Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
According to Smith, the woman routinely viewed a website with thousands of threads discussing suicide techniques, one of which entailed consuming a toxic substance that she “attempted to purchase from multiple sources.”
The head of risk and safety at The Priory, David Watts, stated that it was “impossible” to monitor patients’ web browsing on mobile devices. He noted that while the unit’s Wi-Fi has a firewall, patients can access some websites via their 4G and 5G connections, which staff cannot regulate.
However, the jury was informed that Matthews was not supposed to be able to read her own mail.
Suzanne Barnard, the head of investigations at The Priory, stated that there had been a “inconsistent approach” to the delivery of Matthews’ care plan, with some staff members allowing her to access her own mail and others opening it for her.
According to her, the care plan “clearly” said that the woman should not open her mail.
“I could not find any evidence that the care plan had not been followed in other areas,” Barnard reportedly stated.
Dr. Sumanta Gupta, a consultant psychiatrist at the hospital, said at the inquest that he had not been notified of Matthews’ claim to the staff that it was “already done” following a discussion about “things you can purchase to do the job.”
Gupta stated that had he known, he would have immediately initiated a review of her care plan.
The Times of London stated that Assistant Coroner Andrew Bridgman told the jury that Matthews “ingested a substance that arrived in the mail, quickly became ill, and was rushed to the hospital, where she tragically died.”
According to a statement by paramedic Kate Barnes, when she arrived, staff members informed her that Matthews “had a package delivered to the unit, which she opened and consumed in front of them.”
Barnes was informed that patients were permitted to open their mail under professional supervision.
The inquest heard that Matthews suffered from mental health concerns from a young age and was diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder, according to a story in the Times of London.
According to the Manchester Evening News, she was gravely injured in a failed suicide attempt after jumping from a bridge in April 2019.
In a statement given at the trial, Jane, Matthews’ mother, described her daughter as “an incredible character” who was “bright and vivacious” who “lit up the lives” of everyone she encountered.
Matthews was described as “caring, intelligent, and articulate,” and he excelled at sailing.
If you live in New York City and are having suicide thoughts or a mental health crisis, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis therapy. If you reside outside of the five boroughs, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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