Student suffering from depression died after fourth floor fall
AN ASTROPHYSICS student suffering depression was found dead at the bottom of some stairs after falling four floors.
Haakon Bloomfield died on February 18 after he was found at Cardiff University’s Queen’s Buildings by university professor David Walker.
The day before his death he posted a message on social media describing himself as “pathetic” for failing his exams and being on “the verge of being expelled”.
On finding the 19-yearold, who lived in Woodville Road, Cardiff, Prof Walker assumed Haakon had suffered a seizure.
“My main thought was to get the young man medical assistance,” he said in a statement to the Cardiff Corner’s Court.
He dialled 999 but Haakon later died in hospital.
Pathologist Fouad Alchami said the cause of death was “multiple traumatic injuries.”
Haakon, referred to as Hako during the inquest at the request of his family, had spinal and pelvic fractures as a result of his fall.
His father, Michael Bloomfield, asked Dr Alchami whether he would have been “unconscious immediately” after falling.
“I would have thought so,” Dr Alchami said.
South Wales Police’s DC James Francis attended the scene.
He told the court he discovered CCTV on the morning of Haakon’s death that showed him apparently walking to university.
“He was walking alone, he appeared to be walking normally, there was no indication anything was wrong,” Mr Francis said.
“It was a normal walk to what looked like going university.”
There was no CCTV from inside the university.
“We are unable to say how he got to the fourth floor or what happened there,” Mr Francis said.
Footprints were found on the wrong side of the railings in the stairwell. They had the same pattern as Haakon’s shoes.
It was also revealed that Haakon had been treated for depression.
In a letter from his GP he was referred to as suffering bipolar psychosis, but this was dismissed by consultant psychiatrist Pamela Yerassimou.
“I would not accept that diagnosis, it was the word Mr Bloomfield used to the GP,” she said.
“Often people say they are a bit bipolar, but they are not really.”
Coroner Christopher Woolley gave a narrative verdict after being unable to determine whether Haakon had died accidentally or killed himself.
Mr Woolley noted Haakon, originally from Leamington Spa, had given no indication he felt suicidal and did not leave any note.
The coroner said he “had a loving family” and had “made no previous attempt on his life”.
“There was nothing to show he intended to harm himself,” Mr Woolley said.
The “only conclusion” he could reach was an open verdict in narrative form.
“It is not known if he meant to fall or if he did intend to fall whether he intended to cause his own death, therefore that is my conclusion,” Mr Woolley said. to