Man, 45, took his own life – inquest
ADRUG user died of a ‘highly catastrophic brain injury’ five days after trying to take his own life, an inquest heard.
Shaun McDermott was found by his mother Penny Kellet in the early hours of May 13 trying to hang himself in the front room of their home on Commercial Street in Oswaldtwistle.
Blackburn Coroners Court heard how the 45-year-old suffered a lack of oxygen and a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated by paramedics before being taken to the intensive care unit at Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Mrs Kellet told the inquest: “I think that’s what he wanted to do.”
Shaun’s sister Bonita McDermott said that he also left an ‘awful’ note.
Ms McDermott said: “Because I had to step in and look after my mum he didn’t like that. He was my brother and I loved him very much.”
Intensive care consultant Dr Sarah Clarke said Shaun had a number of health problems, including chronic drug misuse, alcohol-related liver disease, chronic pancreatitis, asthma and diabetes.
She told the inquest that he suffered a ‘highly catastrophic brain injury’ leading to organ failure and showed ‘no signs of recovery’.
He was placed on an ‘end of life plan’ and passed away on May 18. The cause of death was hypoxic brain injury caused by asphyxia.
Mental health nurse Lianne Dewhurst said Shaun had visited them in November 2017 and had a number of ‘stresses’ including accommodation, however he denied having any suicidal thoughts.
The inquest was told that he was using the substance misuse service Inspire, however he had missed a number of appointments leading up to his death.
Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a conclusion of suicide.
He said: “Shaun had many co-morbidities, there’s no doubt about that.
“When one is overtaken by an addiction such as he had and that’s coupled with co-morbidities it does make his life very difficult indeed.
“He is assessed and is not mentally ill enough but it’s recognised he has problems.
“This is an unusual set of circumstances in that [Mrs Kellet] knew or saw what he was doing. He did it almost in your presence. On that morning of May 13 he has done a very deliberate act.”