Deceased
HEATHER JANE KINDER
Demographics
59y, female
Date of death
2011-01-21
Finding date
2013-06-21
Cause of death
Toxicity to quetiapine
AI-generated summary
59-year-old woman with long-standing psychiatric illness, chronic suicidal ideation, and dependent personality disorder was admitted involuntarily to a low-dependency psychiatric ward after expressing suicidal intent. Following ECT treatment, she absconded from an unlocked ward on 20 January 2011 and died from quetiapine toxicity at a hotel. The coroner found the clinical treatment was reasonable and appropriate, and her absconding was unplanned and opportunistic, not reasonably anticipated. However, the case highlights the difficult balance required in psychiatric units between patient safety and least-restrictive practices. Subsequently, the hospital locked LDU doors, requiring voluntary patients to request exit, and modified observation protocols based on individual risk assessment.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Procedures
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36y · Male·Drowning
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59y · Male·Multiple injuries
Martin Carl Quiterio, a 59-year-old man with longstanding schizophrenia and suspected autism spectrum disorder, died on 3 January 2024 when he jumped from the 14th floor of a car park in West Perth. He had been discharge…
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