Skip over main navigation
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
Inquest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Get Help & Advice
  • Donate
  • Twitter
Menu
  • Home
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Our people
      • Staff
      • Board
      • Family Reference Group members
    • Our funders
    • Work for us
  • Help and advice
    • Our services
    • Families bereaved by Covid-19
    • COVID-19: other sources of support
    • What families say about us
    • Useful resources
    • Other sources of support
  • Campaigns
    • INQUEST Campaigns
    • Family campaigns
  • Support us
    • Make a donation
    • Other ways to support us
  • Research and Policy
    • Statistics
    • Reports and publications
    • Briefings and submissions
    • Inquest Law Magazine
    • Strategic plan
  • Lawyers Group
    • About
    • Join
    • Inquest Law Magazine
  • Media
    • Media releases
    • Media enquiries
  • News
    • INQUEST newsletter
    • News
    • Blogs
  • Family Hub
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)

Family Reference Group members

The INQUEST Family Reference Group is made up of people directly affected by a contentious death, and supports and contributes to our work from a family perspective.

Marcia Rigg

Marcia’s brother Sean Rigg died in 2008 following restraint by multiple police officers while experiencing a mental health crisis. The jury returned a four-page litany of failures by South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the police officers and others. "When Sean died back in 2008, if it wasn't for INQUEST and their lawyers my family would have been totally unaware of the huge stumbling blocks we were to face with the whole process of losing a loved one in State Custody. Frankly, it is impossible for any family to work without them! They have been a saving grace and so it is an honour to sit on their Family Reference Group, not least because it is important that families’ voices are heard jointly with INQUEST in the struggle for equal rights and justice. Families are too often wrongfully left as victims, indefinitely."

Tippa Naphtali

Tippa’s cousin, Mikey Powell had a history of mental illness. He was violently restrained by officers whilst in a distressed state in 2003. An inquest jury found that Mikey died from positional asphyxia. “My family would have been isolated and alone if not for the support of INQUEST when Mikey died in 2003. We join INQUEST and others in tackling the often poor quality and speed of investigations conducted by the IPCC, and an inquest process that is still seriously flawed in many respects. Both often fail victims and their families.”

Tania El-Keria

 

Tania’s 14-year-old daughter, Amy El-Keria, died in 2012 at Priory Ticehurst Hospital after being admitted as an informal mental health patient. The inquest concluded that neglect had contributed to Amy’s death, with the jury identifying wide-ranging individual and systemic failures on the part of the hospital. “It has been a long road since Amy’s death. We waited three and a half years for an inquest in between changing solicitors and a coroner. And now nearly six years on we are still seeking justice. None of this will bring my Amy back but I hope in the future that her story will prevent other vulnerable people and their families from having to go through the same nightmare.”

Lee Lawrence

In 1985, Lee’s mother Dorothy Cherry Groce was shot and paralysed by police officers following an ill planned dawn raid on her home. She died in 2011. The jury found that the shot resulted in medical complications leading to Cherry’s death. “The journey that I and my family have been on has been a very long and strenuous one. At times we did feel as though we were fighting a losing battle but whenever we began to feel consumed, we remembered the fight that mum faced for 26 years, drew strength from it, and persevered. I want to encourage other despairing families to seek the truth and find justice in their own battles.”

Lee Jarman

Lee’s brother Kevin Scarlett had history of mental ill health. He died in 2013 in Woodhill Prison. The jury returned a critical narrative identifying a number of steps that should have been followed to safeguard Kevin against a risk of suicide and self-harm. “I joined the Family Reference Group after my brother, Kevin, died in prison custody. My brother suffered from poor mental health and I want to raise awareness about its impact on him and our family. Through my experiences I wanted to make a positive difference to how other people with mental health problems are supported in prison.”

Anna Susianta

 

Anna’s son Jack Susianta died in 2015 after being chased by the police, causing him to jump into a canal, where he was watched drowning by a large crowd who were held back. He had previously suffered a drug-induced psychotic episode and been taken to Homerton Hospital A&E where he was subjected to a high level of restraint by police officers. "Jack's family believe that the police should and could have dealt with Jack with appropriate care, which would have saved his life. Jack was fun loving, joyful, determined, brave, clever, thoughtful and caring.  He was passionate about corruption and inequality, especially poverty and racial discrimination.  Our lives are diminished by his loss.”

Aziz Ahmed

Aziz’s uncle, Daha Mohamed, died whilst detained in a mental health unit, the Bracton Centre, Dartford, in 2014. The inquest jury concluded that Daha’s death was linked to multiple failings, including inadequate monitoring of Daha’s health on the night of his death. “Since the death of my uncle I’ve decided to help people who are going through the same experience that we went through and give them the advice and guidance they need. From time to time I work as a translator/interpreter for both of my communities (Arabic and Somalian) and in the past I’ve done translation work for INQUEST on the Grenfell tower disaster.”

Mark Saunders

After suffering a rapid deterioration in his mental health and attempting to take his own life, Mark’s son Dean Saunders was charged with attempted murder and transferred to HMP Chelmsford rather than being detained under the Mental Health Act in hospital. In prison, Dean died a self-inflicted death. An inquest later found this was contributed to by neglect from the prison. “I was determined that Dean would not have died in vain, nor would anyone else. With the help from INQUEST, our legal team and our media work, we secured major coverage of Dean’s case. We raised Dean’s case in parliament, secured Westminster debates and gave evidence to parliamentary inquiries on prison reform and mental health.”

Published: 2nd January, 2019

Updated: 17th February, 2020

Author: Sarah Uncles

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • Gaps in Bristol community mental healthcare to be explored at inquest into death of Luke Naish

    Gaps in Bristol community mental healthcare to be explored at inquest into death of Luke Naish

    15 January 2021

  • Inquest into death of Ross Mackenzie to explore provision of community mental health services in Plymouth

    Inquest into death of Ross Mackenzie to explore provision of community mental health services in Plymouth

    15 January 2021

  • Inquest into the death of Leon Briggs following restraint by Bedfordshire Police to resume

    Inquest into the death of Leon Briggs following restraint by Bedfordshire Police to resume

    12 January 2021

  • NEWS: the National Family Fund is now open for applications

    NEWS: the National Family Fund is now open for applications

    11 January 2020

Most read

  • Jury finds series of failings contributed to self-inflicted death of 22-year-old woman on mental health ward

    Jury finds series of failings contributed to self-inflicted death of 22-year-old woman on mental health ward

    25 July 2018

  • Deaths in police custody

    Deaths in police custody

  • Deaths in prison

    Deaths in prison

  • About INQUEST

    About INQUEST

    INQUEST is the only charity providing expertise on state related deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, advice and support agencies, the media and parliamentarians.

  • Work for us

    Work for us

  • Family of Gaia Pope call for answers as the IOPC announce investigation into Dorset Police following the death of the missing teenager

    Family of Gaia Pope call for answers as the IOPC announce investigation into Dorset Police following the death of the missing teenager

    6 April 2018

  • Help and advice

    Help and advice

    We provide free and independent advice to bereaved people following a death in state care or detention in England and Wales, and in other cases where wider issues of state and corporate accountability are in question.

  • Useful resources

    Useful resources

    INQUEST has produced two invaluable resources for families and friends going through an inquest, and for those who would like to know more about their rights following a death.

  • Coroner concludes care of Oliver McGowan was ‘appropriate’ despite parents pleas not to use medication which led to the teenagers death

    Coroner concludes care of Oliver McGowan was ‘appropriate’ despite parents pleas not to use medication which led to the teenagers death

    20 April 2018

  • BAME deaths in police custody

Tag cloud

Adam Rickwood Blair Peach Dennis Stevens Hassockfield Hassockfield Secure Training Centre inquest mental health Met met police metropolitan police police restraint rashan charles restraint Roger Sylvester Sean Rigg Shiji Lapite
Now or Never! Legal aid for inquests

Now or Never! Legal aid for inquests

Join the campaign demanding automatic non means tested funding for legal representation following state related deaths. #LegalAidForInquests Read more

Published: 26th February, 2019

Updated: 25th August, 2020

Author: Lucy McKay

Related topics:
  • INQUEST CAMPAIGNS

Latest tweet

  • RT @BBCGaryR: Sheku Bayoh death: Witness says stamping attack ‘never happened’ We'll speak to Deborah Coles @DebatINQUEST Directo… https://t.co/JlvTa1QdyE

    19thJanuary, 2021 @inquest_org
  • More from the documentary on Kevin Clarke's harrowing experiences and death from BBC News: https://t.co/gCfaYXUPX7

    18thJanuary, 2021 @inquest_org
  • Watch the full programme on catch up here: https://t.co/vAfUc26Jmx

    18thJanuary, 2021 @inquest_org

Useful Links

  • Feedback
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Login

Find Us

INQUEST
3rd Floor
89-93 Fonthill Road
London
N4 3JH

[email protected]
tel: 020 7263 1111

Subscribe to our newsletter list

Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

INQUEST covers England and Wales. Charitable Trust Registered Charity No. 1046650. Registered Company No. 03054853