Police attendance after concerns for welfare on woman - Northumbria Police, April 2022

At 5.20pm on 25 April 2022, the Crisis Team made an emergency call to Northumbria Police after speaking to a woman who was expressing suicidal thoughts. The woman was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and alone inside her house.

At approximately 5.28pm police attended the woman’s home address as an emergency response. The officers spoke to her inside her home who at this time presented as fit and well. The officers remained with the woman whilst they waited for the Crisis Team to attend.

At 3.39am on 26 April 2022, after waiting for the ambulance, the officers transported the woman to hospital themselves, where she received medical attention.

On 7 June 2022, the Crisis Team made an emergency call to Northumbria Police after speaking with the woman’s mother, who stated her daughter was intoxicated and threatening suicide. Information was also passed that the woman had written suicide notes which she had left in her house for the family.

At 6.31pm police attended the woman’s home address and remained with her until the Crisis Team were available to attend later that same evening.

On 9 June 2022, the Crisis Team made an emergency call to Northumbria Police after speaking to the woman who threatened suicide and had tablets in the house to do so. The Crisis Team informed police the woman was under the influence of alcohol and was arguing with her daughter.

At approximately 8.10pm, two officers attended the woman’s home address as an emergency response. Officers spoke to the woman inside her home and explained the reason why they were there. The woman confirmed she called the Crisis Team herself and appeared to officers as being under the influence of alcohol.

Officers contacted the Crisis Team and spoke to a mental health nurse, explaining the circumstances behind the call. The nurse spoke to the woman.

Officers asked the nurse if it would be appropriate to stand down and leave the woman, as her daughter was present at the address and her son would be returning home later. 

At 8.17pm, the officers left the woman’s home with no concerns for her welfare after confirmation they could leave.

At 10.30pm, the ambulance service made an emergency call to police stating a child was administering CPR to a woman and they required police attendance. At 10.36pm, officers arrived at the woman’s home and ensured the woman’s daughter was safe and well whilst paramedics provided medical assistance to the woman.

At 10.43pm officers carried out an initial search of the woman’s home and found empty packs of various medication. At 10.53pm the woman was sadly pronounced dead.

We concluded there was no indication that a person serving with the police may have committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner justifying the bringing of disciplinary proceedings. 

An inquest concluded in October 2023, a narrative verdict with death caused by her own actions due to impairment through alcohol/drugs. 

We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. We make learning recommendations to improve policing and public confidence in the police complaints system, and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

We identified some areas of improvement relating to data recorded by existing systems but no recommendations were issued under legislative powers