A heartbroken daughter lashed out at prison staff after her mother, who was jailed for scraping shampoo and cheese, tragically ended her life behind bars when her pleas for help were ignored, an inquest heard.
Christine McDonald, 55, was jailed at HMP Styal in Cheshire on March 1, 2019, for stealing items including shampoo, bubble bath, hair dye and cheese, as well as failing to comply with a community order for a suspended sentence.
The day after her jailing, Christine was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital after concerns were raised during a health check at the prison.
Despite this, she was returned to her cell that same day, where officers later that night found her with a self-inflicted wound.
She died tragically on March 3rd. A recent inquest at Cheshire Coroner’s Court ruled that neglect played a role in her death, with the jury noting that medical procedures were not properly followed by staff.
Cheri, Christine’s devastated daughter, expressed that her mother was desperate for help but was left to fend for herself. She said: “The prison and medical staff had a responsibility and an obligation to at least make sure she stayed alive, which they did not do.”
Following the coroner’s stark findings, a Prison Service representative assured the findings would be taken seriously, reports the Manchester Evening News. The inquest, which concluded on May 10, revealed that Christine was committed to HMP Styal for 12 weeks.
A mum struggling with an opiate addiction has been arrested in Blackpool, along with one of her daughters, who tragically suffered serious injuries in a third-floor fall. Upon her arrival at the prison, she was described as anxious, suffering from opiate withdrawal and deeply worried about her injured daughter.
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The inquest was presented with evidence that opiate addiction is a serious health problem and rapid detoxification should be avoided, with further observation for those withdrawing. Christine was showing severe withdrawal symptoms and low mood.
She was transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester the following day due to concerns raised during a health care assessment at the prison. She was later returned to HMP Styal.
The jury was told her drug records had not been read – and information about her daughter’s welfare had not been passed. After her return to hospital, the prison was to carry out a clinical assessment and arrange for further overnight observation.
The inquest heard that two prison guards discovered her in her cell at around 11pm. She was found to have a pulse and was taken back to Wythenshawe Hospital.
An inquest was told that Christine had requested a nurse half an hour before she was found, but prison guards failed to comply with her request. She was confirmed dead the following day, surrounded by her family.
The jury found that the gross failure to provide Christine with necessary care and attention directly contributed to her death. The panel identified several shortcomings, including: poor communication between medical staff and prison staff; non-compliance with clinical guidelines for the treatment of drug addiction; and neglecting to convey concern for her daughter’s welfare.
After the inquest, Cheri, her daughter, expressed: “My mum was left alone and screaming for help, dismissed and ignored by staff until she was able to cope and end her own suffering… Prison and medical staff had a responsibility and a duty. care to at least make sure he stays alive and they didn’t.
“We will never get over the loss of my mum, but I am speaking out in the hope that this will not happen again, and if it does, other families will realize that there are ways to identify and expose any failure and stand up against it.”
Christine, a mother of four, was remembered as “kind, loving, with a good sense of humour” and as someone who “always put others before herself”. Her family received support from INQUEST.
INQUEST’s Jordan Ferdinand-Sargeant commented: “Christine was a vulnerable woman in prison for stealing things of little value: shampoo, bubble bath, hair dye and cheese. Two days later she was dead. She needed care and support, not a prison sentence . .
“Time and time again we see the dangerous and fatal consequences of sending women to prison, not least those with complex needs like Christine. Deaths at Styal prison are at a record high and two suicides in December once again raise serious questions about the health and safety of women.
“We must urgently abolish prisons and redirect resources to holistic, gender-sensitive community services. Only then can we end the deaths of women in prison.”
A Prison Service spokesman replied: “Our thoughts remain with the friends and family of Christine McDonald. We are investing £14 million to improve security in women’s prisons and strengthen support for those at risk of self-harm and suicide. We will consider the coroner’s findings carefully and respond in a timely manner.”
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