Coroner's Finding: Golding, Laura Rebecca
Deceased
Laura Rebecca Golding
Demographics
51y, female
Date of death
2017-10-13
Finding date
2020-11-23
Cause of death
drowning
AI-generated summary
Laura Golding, a 51-year-old transgender female with longstanding bipolar affective disorder and recent psychotic episodes, died by drowning on 13 October 2017 after taking an unmanned dinghy into Copper Alley Bay without a life jacket, oars, or bung. She had declined prescribed antipsychotic medication and had presented with increasingly disruptive behaviour in the preceding days. A witness with paramedic background observed her erratic seamanship and called police at 6:43pm. Police responded appropriately, obtaining a proper rescue vessel rather than attempting rescue with an inadequate dinghy. Ms Golding disappeared between 7:20pm and 7:56pm. The coroner found the police response was timely and appropriate. Clinical lessons include the importance of engagement with mental health treatment, earlier recognition of escalating psychotic symptoms, and the challenges of managing patients who decline medication and refuse mental health support.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- active psychotic or delusional episode
- non-compliance with antipsychotic medication
- lack of life jacket
- lack of oars or means of propulsion
- dinghy without bung (water ingress)
- poor seamanship and impaired judgment
- recent history of acute manic and psychotic episodes
- disengagement from mental health support and referrals
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