Police failed teenager by assuming suicide threats were ‘attention-seeking’

Met’s treatment of 17-yearold days before he took his life may have contributed to death, inquest jury finds

THE Metropolitan Police failed a teenager who took his own life when officers assumed his threats to kill himself were “attention-seeking”, an inquest jury found.

Samuel Howes, 17, died in September 2020 after being struck by a train at South Croydon station. A jury-led inquest concluded that the way Samuel was treated by the police two days before his suicide, as well as poor communication between agencies, could have contributed to his death.

It also found mental health and social services “used Covid to justify an inadequate response” to Samuel’s addiction issues. The teenager’s mother, Suzanne

Howes, told MyLondon news website that the missed opportunities to help her son “will haunt us for ever”.

Samuel was arrested by British Transport Police on Aug 30 2020 and placed in the Met’s custody.

He repeatedly tried to harm himself, but was not referred for psychiatric support and his behaviour was described as “attention-seeking” by some officers, the inquest heard.

Two days later Samuel, who was cared for by Croydon council, did not return to his semi-independent accommodation and was classed as a missing person, the inquest heard.

He called the emergency services in tears and said he was experiencing suicidal thoughts. Met officers tried to visit him but could not find him.

Police did not notify Samuel’s family and did not carry out an active search, the inquest was told. He died the following day.

A jury-led three-week inquest recorded a narrative verdict of suicide and that “Samuel’s mental health and his use of drugs and/or alcohol probably contributed to his death”.

A statement from the jury on March 30 said: “There was an inadequate approach of staff and safeguarding process within Croydon custody suite. Samuel’s actions were regarded as attention-seeking. The [forms] were not completed. The limited collaboration between the Met Police and British Transport Police led to a lack of recognition of Samuel’s mental health needs resulting in inadequate care.”

Mrs Howes said: “Hearing evidence of Samuel’s pain, unanswered cries for help and the many missed opportunities to save him will haunt us for ever.

“Samuel was crying out for help in custody and severely self-harming. He was denied mental and physical health assessments and records were recorded in error to state that they had been given.”

Samuel, from Purley, south London, had been under the care of Croydon council for more than two years and was living in social services’ semi-independent accommodation when he died.