Coroner's Finding: Fowles, Wayne Lincoln
Deceased
Wayne Lincoln Fowles
Demographics
59y, male
Date of death
2021-10-19
Finding date
2025-03-06
Cause of death
hanging
AI-generated summary
A 59-year-old man with major depression and psychotic features was lawfully detained under an inpatient treatment order at Noarlunga Hospital's Morier Ward. He was appropriately managed, initially in the high-dependency unit then transitioned to the open ward after clinical review. Despite 30-minute observations initiated due to concerning night-time behaviour, he absconded on 19 October 2021 and died by hanging two days later. The coroner found the clinical management appropriate, the ITO properly imposed, visual observations compliant with procedure, and the subsequent police search competent and thorough. There was nothing in his presentation that should have indicated intention to abscond or self-harm. The death was not preventable.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- major depression with psychotic features
- social isolation and minimal support network
- suicidal ideation emerging during admission
- possible cognitive impairment
- reluctance to engage with treatment initially
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