‘She needed sectioning to deal with her issues’
THE stepmother of a young woman who took her own life following a tortuous battle with depression says there is ‘no doubt’ she should have been sectioned following numerous hospital visits.
Beverley Gallier – the partner of late music mogul Alan Wise and stepmother of his daughter, Natasha – spoke following an inquest into the 22-year-old’s death.
A psychiatrist told the hearing she felt the risk of Natasha committing suicide was ‘low’ after she was taken to Royal Manchester Infirmary by her stepsister. Four days later, Natasha jumped to her death from a bridge in Whalley Range. Hours earlier, she had been celebrating her birthday with friends.
Natasha left a series of heartbreaking Facebook posts before her death, including one that read ‘nvm [never mind] it’s time.’
She was found dead by a cyclist on March 15, 2016.
An inquest at Manchester Town Hall concluded Natasha intended to take her own life.
The court heard Natasha had been suffering with depression and had become addicted to drugs and alcohol. She made numerous visits to hospital seeking help.
The inquest heard professionals believed the risk of Natasha attempting suicide was ‘low’ and that she did not qualify to be sectioned.
Natasha’s father, Alan, a ‘legendary’ music promoter and manager, told the M.E.N. he believed his daughter had been ‘failed’ by mental health services.
Alan, a key figure in the birth of The Hacienda and Factory Records, died in his sleep less than three months after his daughter died.
Natasha’s stepsister, Ellis Cain, told the inquest: “Natasha had depression since I met her when she was 12 and she knew the system very well. She felt like they couldn’t help her. I took her to A&E four days before her death.
“When we arrived, she was screaming and was in such a state, but by the time we got round to see a psychiatrist, her presentation was completely different.
“Someone who only met her for five minutes wouldn’t be able to assess her mental health.
“The last thing Natasha said to me was ‘don’t worry, I am not going to go out and kill myself.’”
Dr Siobhan Riley, a trainee psychiatrist who saw Natasha at MRI, said: “My conclusion at that time was that Natasha was safe to go home.
“I could see her past history of self harm and I believed there was a risk of further self harm, but I felt the risk of suicide was low.”
Recording a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner for central Manchester, Nick Stanage, said: “I am satisfied that Natasha intended to take her own life.”
Following the hearing, Natasha’s stepmother, Beverley, said: “There is no doubt in our mind that she needed sectioning to deal with her issues. There was a beautiful side to Natasha. She was kind and generous.”
Bosses at the Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust said lessons had been learned in the wake of Natasha’s death.
Director of operations Deborah Partington said: “Mental health services in Manchester have been undergoing significant transformation since those tragic events in 2016.”