Saria Hart, 26, died on 13 October 2019 after ligaturing at HMP Foston Hall nine days earlier. An inquest has found that serious failings by prison staff contributed to her death. Prior to her death Saria had, on a number of occasions, expressed to prison officers her intention to take her own life.
A prison officer suggested that there was a blasé attitude towards notes from prisoners “threatening” self-harm or suicide, and that these notes were not taken as seriously as they should be.
Karen Brown, Saria’s mother said: “Saria, our Riri, was a bubbly, cheeky girl who loved being around people. We had our good days and our bad days like any other family, but she meant so much to all of us. We all miss her dearly and still think about her every day.
We are still so hurt and angry that Saria died in circumstances where she was clearly begging for help and nobody took any notice.
Five years on from Saria’s passing, the jury has confirmed what we have always known – that more should have been done to prevent Saria’s death.”
Karen Brown is represented by Erica San of Bhatt Murphy instructing Matthew Turner of Doughty Street Chambers.
Erica San said: “A number of preventative and risk reducing measures were available to the prison staff to manage Saria’s risk: a safer cell with fewer ligature points, constant observations, removal of certain dangerous items from her cell. Instead, prison staff ignored and dismissed Saria’s cries for help.
The most recent HMIP inspection found that the response to women in crisis was ‘too reactive, uncaring and often punitive’. This was all too clear from the evidence heard at Saria’s inquest, and there is no evidence that the attitudes of the prison officers who remain at HMP Foston Hall have changed.”
See reporting by the BBC, Derby Telegraph, and media release from INQUEST.
