A grieving mum’s struggle to cope

Sandra Crump’s grief is on the verge of rendering her homeless.

Twelve weeks ago her daughter, Talia, walked out of a Hamilton mental health facility and never returned.

A day later, her body was found after a suspected suicide.

Since then, Crump struggled.

On the wall at the entrance to her small Chartwell flat is a framed picture of Talia.

Sandra stares at it as she speaks. A young, dark-haired girl with blue eyes smiles back at her.

It’s the same picture that was used in her funeral programme.

Crump fiddles with the ring on

has her pinky finger as she explains that Talia’s arms told a story of inner turmoil.

Talia had post traumatic stress disorder with dissociation. She would go through blank periods, moments she couldn’t account for. During those times she would selfharm.

The 24-year-old had been in and out of the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre in Hamilton for the past two years.

On July 6, Talia was granted leave and went for a walk. She never returned.

Talia wrote a note in her journal the day she left: ‘‘I’m scared, completely and utterly terrified. I’m scared of accidently killing myself or of being stuck like this forever. I’m not sure which is worse ... I want to live. I want to get better to make a life for myself. I really hope I do get there. It will be amazing, I will be amazing.’’ Her body was found a day later. Talia’s mental health battle went on for at least two years and Sandra was there, every step of the way.

Whenever her phone would ring, her heart would jump.

Since Talia’s death, Crump has been unable to return to work.

She’s tried but her own inner turmoil makes it hard.

She was working fulltime as a retail manager. Her employers have assured her they will keep the job open for her to return as long as they can.

She has used all her sick leave and holiday pay and is now on the job seeker’s benefit.

Crump’s three cats have been keeping her company. Bellatrix, who was named after the Harry Potter character, was Talia’s.

Sandra’s home is filled with knick-knacks. There’s a number of ceramic cats on the walls. There’s also a blanket with a cat picture on her sofa.

In two weeks she will leave her flat. She can’t afford it anymore. She doesn’t know where all her stuff will go.

Rent is $235 a week. She receives $210 a week plus a $65 accommodation supplement.

Once the bills have been paid she has $15 for food and any extra expenses that might pop up.

She won’t be sleeping on the street. But she will be homeless.

‘‘I’ve got couches I can probably sleep on. I have friends that will not have me sleeping on the street.

‘‘But I will be homeless at a time when I should be grieving my daughter.

‘‘I know there’re people that can’t be bothered working and go on benefits – I realise there are people like that, but that’s not everybody.’’

Where to get help: Lifeline - 0800 543 354 Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757 Healthline - 0800 611 116 Samaritans - 0800 726 666 Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) Youthline - 0800 376 633 0800 WHATSUP children’s helpline - 0800 9428 787 1pm to 10pm weekdays; 3pm to 10pm weekends

Drowning victim named

Police have named the man who drowned in the swimming pool of a five star resort in Rotorua. Samir Poorekhorsandi was found unresponsive in a pool at the Regal Palms Resort, on Fenton St on Monday morning. The 44-year-old’s death been referred to the coroner.

Fatal crashes

Motorcyclist James Simerka, 42, was killed in a crash at Ngakuru, south of Rotorua, on Tuesday, when his motorcycle and a car collided at the intersection of Rehi and Whirinaki Valley roads just after 5pm. And a Waikato man died after he was thrown from the car he was driving, to be hit by another car, Senior Sergeant Ray Malcolmson said. The 22-year-old crashed the car into a ditch on State Highway 30 in Kopaki, 20km south of Te Kuiti, at 9.20pm Tuesday night. There were two passengers in the deceased driver’s car. They received treatment for minor injuries. The Serious Crash Unit are investigating both incidents.

Reading scholarship

A Hamilton school library manager has $5000 to look into the benefits of reading. Michelle Simms, who works at Te Totara Primary School, got the scholarship at the NZEI Te Riu Roa annual conference in Rotorua. She plans to look into international research on how reading for pleasure can have academic benefits and increase the empathy skills of students. She will also look at how this impacts the working conditions of school librarians.

Police rammed during pursuit

A would-be Hamilton thief tried to break into a car, was chased by police, rammed a police car, drove over traffic islands, and went for a run, before being tackled and caught. Three men were spotted trying to break into a car near Seddon Park on Tuesday. The three took off, two on foot, the third in a silver Nissan Primera sedan. The driver looped through the city streets at speeds of 75km to 90km, trying to evade police. Eventually the car tyres went flat on Pembroke St, outside Waikato Hospital. So the driver jumped out of the car and police ran after him and tackled him in some bushes.

Sexual violence survey

Tertiary students can have their say on whether they’re affected by sexual harassment and sexual violence. The Thursdays in Black Students’ Survey 2016 is open to current and former tertiary students and is part of a nationwide campaign. It’s hoped it will lead to a better understanding of how students experience sexual violence, and find gaps in what young people are taught about it. The anonymous survey is at www.surveymonkey.com/r/tibnzweb, paper copies from survey@thursdaysinblack.org.nz. It’s open until 5pm, Sunday, October 23. A report will be released by early November 2016.

Motorcycle Club

Cambridge Motorcycle Club has been granted a resource consent to continue operating from its Rowlings Place track until at least 2021. After that, should the land adjoining the track be rezoned for residential growth, the club’s resource consent will lapse and it will be unable to run events from the current site. If the land is not rezoned, the club will be able to stay and operate until 2026. Independent hearings commissioner Andrew von Dadelszen said the consent was granted in recognition that the club offers a ‘‘substantial recreation facility for its local community’’.