Coroner's Finding: THOMPSON Kym Joseph Paul
Deceased
Kym Joseph Paul Thompson
Demographics
45y, male
Date of death
2007-09-23
Finding date
2010-06-07
Cause of death
sepsis with infective endocarditis, right lobar pneumonia (with abscess formation and pleural involvement) on a background of ischaemic and hypertensive heart disease and non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
AI-generated summary
A 45-year-old man with severe disability (wheelchair-bound following burn injury), borderline personality disorder, and chronic medical conditions including ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and recent pneumonia died from sepsis with infective endocarditis and right lobar pneumonia with abscess. He discharged himself from hospital against medical advice on the day of death after exhibiting disruptive behaviour. He subsequently consumed alcohol, engaged in dangerous behaviour on a road, and was detained under Mental Health Act by police. During police detention, he collapsed and despite immediate resuscitation attempts by police and ambulance personnel, he could not be revived. The coroner found the death was from natural causes and that police, hospital, and ambulance actions were appropriate. Clinical lesson: recognition of acute decompensation in medically complex patients with psychiatric comorbidity and the importance of appropriate detention decision-making in mental health crises.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Contributing factors
- discharge from hospital against medical advice
- acute decompensation from pneumonia and endocarditis
- alcohol intoxication on day of death
- underlying cardiac disease and diabetes
- disability and dependence on wheelchair
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