By Simon Wroe, Camden News
AN art student with a history of mental illness killed himself less than a week after doctors discharged him as a low-risk patient with a “sunny disposition”, an inquest heard.
Henock Legesse Eshete, 32, was discovered hanged at his home in the Burmarsh estate on Marsden Street, Queen’s Crescent, last October.
A suicide note ending with the words “Nobody will find me OK” was found near his body.
Staff from the Grove Centre, near the Royal Free Hospital, managed by the Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust, told St Pancras Coroner’s Court on Thursday that Mr Eshete’s mental state had “considerably improved” in the months before his death and that the student, who fled civil unrest in Ethiopia in 1993, had been “optimistic”.
But during the inquest a picture emerged of an intensely private man, disturbed by a diagnosis of mental illness.
Yared Eshete, his brother, said being taken away from home had been a “big issue” and Henock had felt stigmatised by neighbours because he was “in and out of hospital” so frequently.
An argument with neighbours about the volume of Mr Eshete’s music, culminating in an alleged stabbing, led to him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act in July, the court heard.
Mr Eshete had been on the centre’s books since an attempted overdose 10 years earlier.
Despite known suicidal tendencies, psychiatrist Dr Philip Harrison Reid told the inquest that concerns surrounding his release were “focused on the protection of others” and that the patient had showed no signs of suicidal thoughts during the two months in his care.
He said: “When I saw him he was occasionally angry about his psychiatric illness, but most of the time his disposition was sunny.”
Lucy Keating, a psychiatric nurse at the centre, said: “He was quite chaotic in his behaviour.”
Yared added: “I’ve never known Henock to harm anybody. He did not want to affect others with his problems.”
Doctors were in the process of carrying out a full risk assessment when Mr Eshete died.
He was last seen eating in the ward the day following his discharge. The alarm was raised four days later when he failed to keep a psychiatric appointment.
Returning a verdict of suicide, Coroner Dr Andrew Reid said: “It was his intention to take his own life. This was in the context of enduring mental illness.”
4 thoughts on “Ethiopian student with mental illness found hanged in London”
Another Innocent Soul Lost in the System. May his soul rest in peace. My deepest sympathy to his family & friends who knew him. I am surprised to read about this story on a Local News Paper. Usually and especially Immigrant cases are not big of an issue here in the UK. Quiet considerable amount of my brothers & sisters are caught up in the system and they are on the brink of suicide and yet no mass media want to talk about it. The death of Henock is not an isolated case among our community. It’s heart breaking to not be able to do much to this kind of individuals as an Ethiopian. People who “claim” to represent us as a community are not doing much in making sure this fragile individuals being looked after.
Sewun Be Kumu Karedut Kemote Bohala Le Rasya Genzeb Mesebseb is meaningless to me. I see it year in year out and we need a drastic change from this ugly behaviour. The Immigration system within the UK has claimed a lot of life’s over the years. People for what ever reason has migrated over to England and to some its like been thrown to Hell once again. The so called “Human Right” is non-existent within the UK, in some cases it is worse than any where else. Go and see the so called Houses, residence flats, sharing accommodations in and around England where these people eat & sleep and one can see how the system is looking after these people. Is it acceptable in the 21st Century to sleep in a house full of Rats, leaking ceilings, no hot water, no proper heating system, and no proper sanitation? I don’t think so.
As a society if we are not concerned enough then the system won’t do sh**t to any one of us. As a society we have to try to see how our friends are living? So, that may be we might help. If we don’t ask we will never know. It is better to b noisy and save life than go to a shop buy news paper and read a suicide story. Ethiopians in the professional level especially need to be part of the Solution to give back life to these people. These people don’t know their rights, these people are afraid to say what they feel inside. So Lawyers, Doctors, psychologists can and should do much more to give Justice and full wellbeing to these people. BAYTU YIKUTEREW the amount of people who are in state of depression, loneliness and self-destruction right at this minute.
When I say professionals I don’t mean to say others are exempt from the responsibility. I just think as a Nation who happens to live in the Diaspora we have to come up with the solution for each other. I really can go on and on with matter but for now I shall end it here. I just hope to witness and see a very prosperous and fulfilling life among my people here in the Diaspora.
Much Love & Respect to all
God Bless
It’s a pity!I would like to pass condolence to his family, acquantances and friends.As was noted by the previous writer,our intellectuals and the whole Diaspora community should make all possible to rescue those of our compatriots who suffer under depression and experience humilation in foreign countries.God rest the soul of the deceased!
God rest his soul. Ethiopian people please help each other and save our brothers or sisters from this terioble death…………OUR CONDOLENCE TO HIS FAMILY….
My Deepest sympathy to his family and friends. It is really sad news. Let us be together and help our brothers and sisters who suffer a lot in different situation. I really respect the ideas of jonhi who write on the top. When I say help not only in money but also in ideas, hope, encouragement, friendly with them and so on. May God help us a lot to think about them and to become together to save life before such things happen.