6 April 2023

Before HM Assistant Coroner Darren Stewart
Surrey Coroner’s Court, Station Approach, Woking GU22 7AP
Opens 11 April 2023
Expected to last for 9 days, concluding on 21 April 2023

Meghan Chrismas was 48 years old when she died a self inflicted death on 20 October 2021, two days after being located by police in a hotel room . An inquest is now due to take place at Surrey Coroner’s Court to establish the circumstances of her death and examine her interactions with various organisations including the police and healthcare practitioners.

Meghan was born in Australia. After travelling around Europe in 2004, she found herself in the UK with family friends. She met her future husband and decided to stay in the UK to start a family. Her husband describes her as “the most amazing mother and wife” and “a wonderful person”, with an “ability to make everyone feel comfortable, secure and loved”.

Meghan had a history of mental ill-health and experienced a decline in her mental health in 2021. This resulted in Meghan being a voluntary inpatient at the Priory Hospital Roehampton for part of July 2021 and taking an overdose in October the same year.

Meghan received mental health care from a number of professionals, including her GP, a consultant psychiatrist and an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (‘EMDR’) therapist.

On 18 October 2021, Meghan left her family home. She sent text messages to her husband saying that she was going to take her own life. Meghan’s husband called Hampshire Police to report his concerns for her welfare.

Meghan was located at a hotel in Surrey, following her contact with emergency services. Hampshire Police subsequently emailed to request Surrey Police’s attendance at the hotel. A follow up call to Surrey Police was made approximately an hour after this initial email.

Surrey Police arrived at the hotel, however Meghan was already unconscious, having ligatured. Meghan was resuscitated and transported to hospital but sadly died two days later.

Meghan’s family have significant concerns about the mental health care, treatment and medication she received prior to her death as well as the responses from Hampshire and Surrey police forces on 18 October 2021. The inquest will now explore:

• The care and treatment received by Meghan prior to her death, including communication between various healthcare providers, medication she was provided and Meghan’s mental health deterioration; and
• The response by police to the communications relating to concerns for Meghan’s welfare and safety on 18 October 2021 as well as the events leading up to the police’s attendance at the hotel, including whether there were any missed opportunities.

ENDS
NOTES

For further information, please contact Lucy McKay on [email protected].

The family is represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Mollie Eglesfield of GT Stewart Solicitors and Matthew Turner of Doughty Street Chambers. The family are supported by INQUEST caseworker Jodie Anderson.

Other Interested Persons represented include: Hampshire Constabulary, Surrey Police, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the Priory and other professionals involved in Meghan’s care.

Journalists should refer to the Samaritans Media Guidelines for reporting suicide and self-harm and guidance for reporting on inquests.