Last week the Havering Daily featured a piece on the tragic death of Matthew Leahy.
Today we are running a follow up piece in a bid to help Melanie reach her petition goal and the justice Matthew deserves.
Matthew Leahy died November 2012. Alone, scared, highly medicated, bruised and in his words, “in hell”.
This is a mother’s 7 years fight for answers, truth, change and accountability.
What really led to Matthews death, whilst in the Care Of the State?
Melanie Leahy who’s family members live in Collier Row, tells the Havering Daily about the tragic death of her son.
“People need to know what’s happening across the UK within our mental health services. To young and old alike. All parents need to read this please. What happened to my son could happen to your kids or indeed parents, or you.
“My son Matthew was deemed to have psychosis and was taken by Essex Police to the Linden Center, psychiatric ward in Essex. He came out of this so called place of safety 7 days later, dead.“
A statement read out to the court said:
Matthew Leahy had been subjected to a series of multiple failings and missed opportunities over a long period of time.
He was found with four possible five needle wounds in his groin, GHB (the date rape drug) in his blood stream. Blood in his stomach and bruises above his ankles.
Matthew had called home four days before he died begging to come home, saying “I’m in hell in here. Please help me. I’m being drugged and raped on the ward”.
“We told him to call the police. He did exactly that. Before the police arrived, staff had medicated our son some more. The police deemed him of no capacity to be examined.
“We have later discovered no mental capacity assessment was ever done. Police failed to take any swabs, they failed to seize any clothing.
Melanie is fighting for a Public Enquiry to uncover the truth about what happened to Matthew and to bring about future change”.
Melanie is running out of time and needs help – she still needs 50000 signatures on her petition, and has only one month left to do this.
All of us at The Havering Daily are really hoping we can boost the signature count and get Melanie the 100k signatures needed to be eligible for a Government Debate.
At 100,000 signatures this will trigger a debate in Parliament. An opportunity for other failed families to give evidence of their loved ones also failed, nationwide and for cross party MPs to give their views on this case.
If you’re UK based and feel you can support, please consider adding your signature here Melanie’s Petition
Will you take one minute out of your day to sign this petition please
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/255823
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