Finding into death of Ruth Janet Younger

FORM 37 Rule 60(1)

FINDING INTO DEATH WITH INQUEST Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008 Court reference: 2104/10 Inquest into the Death of RUTH JANET YOUNGER Delivered On: 24th May, 2011

Delivered At: Coroners Court of Victoria, Level 11, 222 Exhibition Street, Melbourne 3000

Hearing Dates: 24th May, 2011 Findings of: JANE HENDTLASS Place of death: Dandenong Hospital, David Street, Dandenong, Victoria 3175

Police Coronial Support Unit (PCSU): Senior Constable Kelly Ramsey

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FORM 37 Rule 60(1)

FINDING INTO DEATH WITH INQUEST Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008

Court reference: 2104/10 In the Coroners Court of Victoria at Melbourne I, JANE HENDTLASS, Coroner having investigated the death of: Details of deceased:

Surname: YOUNGER

Firstname: RUTH

Address: Doveton Community Care, 20 Matipo Street, Doveton, Victoria 3177 AND having held an inquest in relation to this death on 24th May, 2011 at Melbourne find that the identity of the deceased was RUTH JANET YOUNGER and death occurred on 4th June, 2010

at Dandenong Hospital, David Street, Dandenong, Victoria 3175

from la. COMPLICATIONS OF ACUTE ALCOHOL INTOXICATION

2, SCHIZOPHRENIA

in the following circumstances:

1. Ruth Janet Younger was 45 years old when she died. She was subject to a Community Treatment Order and lived at the Psychiatry Care Unit at 20 Matipo Street In Doveton. Ms Younger’s medical history included treatment resistant schizophrenia. Her treating psychiatrist was Dr Vined Thacore.

2, At 8.20pm on 1 June 2010, Ms Younger was discharged from Casey Hospital Psychiatry Ward to the Psychiatry Care Unit in Doveton. She was anxious and paranoid.

3. At 5.30am on 2 June 2010, Ms Younger was missing from her room when nurses Sharling Shakoor and Lina Newman, performed their routine check. At 6.15am, her Community Treatment Order was revoked and she was formally reported to Police as a missing person. Later investigations established that she had purchased a bottle of methylates spirits from the petrol

station at the corner of Potter Street and Princes Highway in Dandenong at 5.39am on 1 June,

2010. , , :

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4, At 11.30am on 2 June 2010, Police found Ms Younger unconscious in the front yard of Unit 1, 73 Potter Street In Dandenong. The empty methylated spirits bottle was on the nature strip nearby.

3. Ms Younger was transported to the Emergency Department at Dandenong Hospital. She was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.79mg/100mL.

She remained unresponsive and did not respond to treatment.

6. At 12.30am on 3 June 2010, Ruth Janet Younger died.

7, The Coroner accepted a recommendation for the medical investigation to proceed by way of inspection. The forensic pathologist who inspected the body formed the opinion that a reasonable cause of death appeared to be complications of acute alcohol intoxication.

Toxicological analysis of blood taken at 12.40pm on 2 June 2010, detected a blood alcohol concentration of 0.79mg/100mL, aripiprazole and risperidone metabolite.

8. Accordingly, I find that Ruth Janet Younger died of complications of acute alcohol intoxication,

Signature:

if Dr Jaré Hendtlass Coroner Date: 24 May, 2011

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