‘Our mentally ill Shane was let out of hospital too soon, and went on to kill little brother’
Family settle claim against HSE
Stabbed Brandon in the chest
A YOUNG man stabbed his nine-year-old brother to death and then hanged himself because he was discharged from a psychiatric hospital too early, his parents have claimed.
Carmel and Shane Skeffington say they were told by the doctor discharging him ‘It’s no big deal’ when they worried about how they would make their son take his medication.
Two months later, Shane Michael Skeffington, 20, knifed his brother Brandon to death at their home in Co. Sligo in July 2014 before taking his own life.
After his release from hospital, Shane wouldn’t take medicine or keep hospital appointments, his parents have said. He was released from psychiatric care six days after being admitted involuntarily, following weeks of cannabis use, even though he was diagnosed with suffering from a ‘schizophrenia-like’ psychotic disorder.
Carmel and Shane Skeffington claimed Shane Michael should not have been discharged, that his diagnosis should have been considered, and that the HSE was responsible for both boys’ deaths.
They settled their claim for damages against the HSE, without admission of liability by the HSE, in the High Court yesterday.
The court had heard that Mr and Mrs Skeffington returned home from grocery shopping on July 20, 2014, to find Shane Michael had fatally stabbed Brandon in the chest and had taken his own life.
Brandon and Shane Michael were transferred from their home in Tourlesrane, Co. Sligo to Sligo Hospital. On arrival, both brothers were pronounced dead.
In legal papers before the court, Judge Kevin Cross was told that Shane Michael had a history of cannabis abuse, using it for periods of time from 2012 to 2014.
On May 10, 2014, Shane Michael was said to have been involved in an uncharacteristic and unprovoked assault in which he hit his father. He had no recollection of this the following day.
But three days later, he kicked his father in the side of the head, and fled the family home. Gardaí found him but had to use pepper spray on him. He was admitted to St Columba’s Hospital, under the Mental Health Acts, for erratic and paranoid behaviour. The on-call psychiatrist there noted he had used cannabis recently and was agitated, uncooperative and laughing inappropriately. He absconded from hospital the next day, was returned by gardaí and placed in the high dependence unit. The consultant psychiatrist diagnosed an acute psychotic episode, and thought cannabis could be a possible cause.
Over the following days his behaviour was noted to be volatile and paranoid, despite not taking cannabis. He attempted to assault a nurse, required restraint and refused to take oral medication.
But when his parents attended the hospital on May 20, they were surprised and concerned when the consultant suggested they bring him home, the court heard. They asked how they would get him to take his medication and were allegedly told: ‘It’s no big deal. It’s just a small dose of Olanzapine. It’s just for the paranoia.’
It was claimed that this discharge was negligent. They also claim there was a failure to provide adequate follow-up care, a failure to assess him at his home, and a failure to provide adequate community care. A follow-up appointment was made with an outpatient clinic on May 28. Shane Michael was quiet on his return home, and refused to take his medication, the court heard.
A social worker visited on May 23, but allegedly did not relay to doctors that the medication was not being taken – or if she did, the hospital chose not to readmit him, Judge Cross was told.
He did not attend the outpatient clinic appointment but, without any further review, Shane Michael’s involuntary admission was formally revoked on May 29.
His diagnosis was recorded as being ‘mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of cannabinoids, psychotic disorder, schizophrenia-like’.
On June 18, social workers closed their file on the basis that Shane Michael did not wish to engage. Less than four weeks later, on July 20, the double tragedy occurred.
The family’s counsel, Eoin McCullough SC, told the court: ‘The case against the HSE is that Shane Michael had, at various times, been a patient of St Columba’s Hospital. If better treatment had been afforded to him, these events would not have occurred.’
The amount of compensation to be paid to Mr and Mrs Skeffington and their other children, Sharon, 20, Callum, 7, and younger sister Alicia, was not disclosed.
Later, on RTÉ’s Six One, Carmel Skeffington said: ‘We were just numb… You couldn’t have even imagined Shane Michael would have done anything like that.’