Last Updated on: 22nd January 2023, 04:54 pm
Who is Beth Matthews? Biography, Wiki
Beth Matthews, a British mental health blogger, and savvy surfer died in a secure mental hospital after ingesting a toxic substance she bought in Russia, telling staff it was protein powder.
Ms. Matthews was not due to open her post at Cheadle Royal Priory Hospital in 2022 but did so after “discrepancies” in her care, an inquest heard on Monday revealed, the Manchester Evening News reported.
Beth Matthews Age
Her current age was 26 years.
Mental Health Blogger Beth Matthews Died
Police coroner Claire Smith said Matthew’s phone revealed an order for the substance from Russia and several visits to online forums where methods of suicide were discussed.
The Cornish woman, who competed in the Fastnet Yacht Race when she was just 15, died on 21st March 2022 under the care of the staff at a psychiatric hospital.
She was being treated in a security room for a personality disorder after being jailed for “specialty therapy” under the Mental Health Act, the Times of London reported.
Smith told the Stockport Coroner’s Court inquest that police found Matthews had ordered the unidentified substance himself and no crime was involved in his death, according to the Evening News.
Matthews collapsed after opening the package, which he told staff contained protein powder.
According to the report, she went into cardiac arrest and was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The woman had frequently visited a website with thousands of threads about methods of suicide, one of which involved swallowing a toxic substance, which she “tried to purchase from multiple sources,” Smith said, the BBC reported.
David Watts, the priory’s risk and safety manager, said it was “impossible” to monitor patients’ browsing on mobile phones, explaining that patients can access certain websites over the 4G and 5G connections, despite the fact that the Wi-Fi of the unit is protected by a firewall, which staff cannot control, Manchester Daily said.
What Was The Trial?
Assistant Coroner Andrew Bridgman told jurors that Matthews “did ingesting a substance that came in the mail, quickly became ill [and] was taken to hospital where she sadly died,” according to the Times of London report.
Paramedic Kate Barnes said in a statement that staff told her when she arrived that Matthews “had sent a package to the unit which she opened in front of them and managed to consume,” according to the outlet.
Barnes said patients are allowed to open their mail if supervised by staff. The inquest revealed that Matthews suffered from mental health problems from an early age and was diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder, the Times of London reported.
She was reportedly seriously injured in a failed suicide attempt after jumping off a bridge in April 2019, according to the Manchester Evening News.
In a statement read at the hearing, Matthew’s mother, Jane, said her daughter was “an incredible character” who was “bright and vibrant” and would “brighten the lives” of everyone she met.
