The mother of a young woman who tragically passed away in a hospital expressed her love for her daughter after a nurse was convicted of deliberate neglect on the night of her demise.
Amy Barber, who had been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder and an eating disorder at a young age, was under the care of Brooklands Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit at Clatterbridge Hospital in Wirral due to a history of self-harm during her adolescence.
Although staff were supposed to check on Amy every five minutes, she was discovered unresponsive in her room on June 30, 2022. Registered mental health nurse Laurence Tchapong, responsible for monitoring Amy that night, interacted with her briefly before another nurse found her unresponsive 25 minutes later.
CCTV footage revealed Tchapong handing Amy a towel at 8.15pm, with subsequent events leading to Amy being found unresponsive. Despite signing multiple observation entries claiming to have seen Amy awake, Tchapong failed to fulfill the required checks as per protocol.
Following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Tchapong was found guilty of willfully neglecting Amy Barber. The nurse admitted to not checking on Amy after 8.15pm but cited other tasks and patients as distractions. Tchapong is set to be sentenced on September 1.
Amy’s mother, Sue, paid a heartfelt tribute to her daughter, emphasizing her remarkable qualities and achievements. She lamented the lack of proper care provided to Amy, demanding accountability for the neglect that led to her daughter’s untimely death.
If you or someone you know is struggling, Samaritans offers support and is available round the clock at 116 123 or via their website at samaritans.org.
