Teen's mental health pleas ignored: 'Not high risk enough'

An inquest is examining the tragic death of 17-year-old Lucy Curtis, who passed away on January 1, 2026, after being found unresponsive in a mental health unit. Her family described a year-long battle to get effective care for Lucy, whose mental health declined significantly. At an assessment in April 2025, Lucy was told she did not meet the threshold for support from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), with her mother recounting that she was advised she was 'not high risk enough'.

Despite escalating self-harm incidents and suicidal thoughts, Lucy's family felt caught between services, facing confusion over care provisions. Even after being admitted to two different units, Wessex House and later Riverside Adolescent Unit, concerns persisted. Her parents highlighted issues with unsupervised leave periods from Wessex House, which they deemed illogical given her risk level. Multiple ligature incidents occurred during her admissions, with the family sometimes not being informed.

Lucy was discharged from Wessex House in late November 2025 without a clear safety plan, a decision her mother found rushed and distressing. She continued to self-harm and take overdoses in the weeks following. Admitted to Riverside in December 2025, she continued to use ligatures. She was found unresponsive on December 27, 2025, and later confirmed to have catastrophic brain injury, passing away on New Year's Day. Her father remembered her as a kind, generous, and creative individual who loved performing arts and was a huge Taylor Swift fan.