Finding into death of Shamaoon Abdahad

IN THE CORONERS COURT OF VICTORIA AT MELBOURNE

Court Reference: 0282 / 2014

FINDING INTO DEATH WITH INQUEST

Form 37 Rule 60(1) Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008

Inquest into the Death of; SHAMAOON ABDAHAD Delivered On: 7 July 2014

Delivered At: Coroners Court of Victoria

Level 11, 222 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Hearing Dates: 7 July 2014

Findings of: PHILLIP BYRNE

Counsel Assisting the Coroner Mr Marc Fisken, Coroncr’s Solicitor

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I, PHILLIP BYRNE, Coroner, having investigated the death of SHAMAOON ABDAHAD

AND having held an inquest in relation to this death on 7 July 2014 at MELBOURNE

find that the identity of the deceased was SHAMAOON ABDAHAD born on 1 July 1951

and the death occurred on 15 January 2014

at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville

from:

l(a) HEAD INJURY

in the following circumstances:

Mr Shamaoon Abdahad, 62 years of age at the time of his death, was an involuntary

patient at Broadmeadows Psychiatric Unit.

Mr Abdahad had a medical history that included lung cancer, seizures and

schizophrenia.

On 13 January 2014 Mr Abdahad was walking in the courtyard of the Broadmeadows Psychiatric Unit. Nurse Tamara Cannan was supervising Mr Abdahad and two other patients. In her statement to the court, Ms Cannan describes Mr Abdahad suddenly stopping then falling backwards striking his hcad on the concrete. Ms Cannan

immediately triggered an alarm alerting other medical staff.

Ms Cannan checked on Mr Abdahad and found him to be unresponsive but she was able to locate a pulse. A code blue emergency call was made and the code blue response team from Broadmeadows health service attended and took control of Mr Abdahad. A

000 emergency call was also made.

Once ambulance paramedics arrived Mr Abdahad was intubated then transferred to

Royal Melbourne Hospital for treatment.

Doctors at the Royal Melbourne Hospital found a superficial laceration on the back of Mr Abdahad’s head. A CT brain scan revealed an acute subdural haemorrhage and a

fractured skull.

7. Surgeons reviewed the case and found that Mr Abdahad was unsuitable for surgery due to the severity of his injury. After consultation with his family Mr Abdahad was

admitted to a ward for palliative care.

8. Mr Abdahad did not regain consciousness and passed away on 15 January 2014 at approximately 10.15pm.

9. The death was referred to the Coroner and upon coronial direction an external only post mortem inspection was carried out at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine by Deputy Director of the Institute Dr David Ranson. A post mortem CT scan confirmed the right sided subdural haemorrhage with evidence of left frontal subdural and intracerebral haemorrhage. Dr Ranson concluded that cause of death was duc to a head

injury.

10. The reason why Mr Abdahad suddenly stopped prior to the fall is unknown, although he had a history of seizures. A full autopsy was not ordered by the coroner as the actual cause of death was clear, however it is likcly that Mr Abdahad had some sort of medical

event which precipitated the fall.

11. I formally find that Mr Shamaoon Abdahad dicd as a result of a head injury suffered on 13 January 2014 following a fall.

I direct that a copy of this finding be provided to the following:

Mrs Mary Burkho

Mrs Jan Moffat, Donaldson Whiting + Grindal

Ms Lucy Horgan/Ms Gail Bradley, Melbourne Heath (NorthWestern Mental Health) Dr Mark Oakley Browne, Office of the Chief Psychiatrist

Constable Thomas Asciak, Melbourne North Police Station j :

Signature:

PHILLIP BYR CORON Date: 7 July 2014