Caroline Flack refused hospital stay before death and paramedics were ‘powerless’ to help
An inquest into Caroline Flack’s death has resumed in London today and the court heard how the Love Island star refused to be taken to hospital the night before her death in February
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Caroline Flack refused to go to hospital after attempting suicide on the night before her death and paramedics had “no power” to force her to get help, a court has heard.
An inquest into Caroline’s death in February 2020 resumed at Poplar Coroner’s Court in London today before Senior Coroner Mary Hassell.
The telly presenter took her own life at her flat in Stoke Newington, north east London on February 15, and the court heard today that she’d been treated by paramedics the night before her passing.
Caroline’s friend Mollie Grosberg told the court that she’d called an ambulance after finding the star “unconscious on the sofa” and surrounded by tablets on February 14.
She also told the court that hours earlier, Caroline thought she was going to a meeting to be told prosecutors were dropping the case against her following her arrest on suspicion of attacking her boyfriend Lewis Burton in December 2019.
Grosberg said Caroline – who denied attacking Burton – was told the case was going ahead and she was “very very upset”.
Paramedic Tony Rumore then gave testimony via videolink and told the court he was dispatched to Caroline’s flat that night.
He described Caroline being “seated on the sofa” and was “sat up, alert, slightly lethargic, but she wasn’t slurring her words and was able to answer questions.”
Rumore asked Caroline her intent was to harm or kill herself and she replied, “no” adding it was merely an attempt to escape the stress she was under.
He said Caroline “did not want us there” and was “refusing to fully engage” but able to answer questions when asked.
Rumore told the court he was not told about any previous suicide attempts and Caroline told him she had no history of previous overdoses or attempts to take her own life.
Rumore said he wanted her assessed by a psychiatrist but Caroline said she would not be going to hospital and wanted to remain at home.
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He told the court he explained to Caroline there were possible physical risks – including death – after taking an overdose and “not having a support network could be detrimental to her mental health”.
Rumore said she understood the advantages hospital admission would provide and the risks of going against our recommendation but still decided she did not want to go to hospital.
He also said Caroline introduced herself as “Jody” – her sister’s name Rumore said – though she used the wrong name – he knew there were issues “around privacy” about why she did not want to go to hospital.
Rumore added: “We decided we knew she needed to be assessed in hospital. She was in need of assessment for her mental health.”
He told the court she refused to go to hospital and he did not believe she “posed an immediate risk” at that time and her friends decided to stay overnight with her.
Caroline also agreed to contact her GP the following morning.
The coroner asked if his assessment would have changed if he had been told Caroline had overdosed in the past and her friends did not feel she should have been left.
Rumore replied: “It would have changed our risk assessment.”
But he said because Caroline did not want to go to hospital they could not take her against her will.
When asked if there was anything he have done anything to take her without her consent, Rumore replied: “We have no power to remove anyone who has capacity. That is how it is.”
The coroner asked if she could she have been detained under the Mental Health Act and Rumore answered that only if she was in a “public place” and not in a safe space such as her home.
If he had known her full history, he could have put her in a “high risk” category but there was nothing else practically he could have done.
The coroner recalled Grosberg who told the inquest her pal Louise Teasdale gave a “brief medical history” to the paramedic and said Caroline had attempted suicide before.
Caroline was not a “coherent person” when the paramedics arrived and was talking “absolute nonsense” throughout the two hours they were there, said Grosberg.
She added she was “very angry” when they said they were not taking Caroline to hospital and was “angry” with Caroline for refusing to go.
She told the court: “I personally don’t think she was in her right mind to say whether she was going or not.
“I felt we were just left to deal with this. We are not medical professionals.
“She was a danger. She was incoherent and she wasn’t in her right mind. The responsibility was with a medical professional to look after her.”
The coroner then recalled Louise Teasdale, who says she told paramedics Caroline had attempted suicide in the past.
Rumore was then recalled as witness and the coroner said both witnesses say he was told Caroline had attempted suicide before.
Rumore told the court it was possible he had forgotten but he had given his best recollection.
He said: “I hope it doesn’t come across that it has been a palm-off. It hasn’t been.”
He said it would not have affected whether or not she was taken to hospital because she had refused to go.
The former Love Island host, 40, took her own life the following day at her flat in Stoke Newington, north-east London.
She was charged with assault by beating after a row at her London flat with Burton.
Caroline pleaded not guilty and her boyfriend always maintained her innocence, while her family slammed prosecutors for pursuing the case against the star – calling it a “show trial”.
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