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Girl's Death Linked to Treatable Brain Disorder
25 Nov
Summary
- A 12-year-old girl died from a treatable brain disorder.
- New test results identified autoimmune encephalitis as the cause.
- Her condition triggered acute psychosis, leading to her death.
An inquest has revealed that a 12-year-old girl, Mia Lucas, who died at Sheffield's Becton Centre on January 29, 2024, was suffering from a potentially treatable physical brain disorder. Blood test results confirmed she had autoimmune encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain that can manifest with severe psychiatric symptoms.
Initially, experts questioned a physical basis for Mia's psychosis. However, new evidence presented at the inquest indicated that this rare condition was the definitive cause of her acute psychosis, which ultimately led to her death. Mia had been admitted to a unit after expressing suicidal thoughts and was later sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
Despite being under close observation, Mia was found unresponsive in her room. The medical cause of death was identified as neck compression, directly resulting from acute psychosis brought on by autoimmune encephalitis. Experts noted that earlier diagnostic tests, such as a lumbar puncture, might have been beneficial.
