Finding into death of Hilda Billman
Deceased
HILDA BILLMAN
Demographics
73y, female
Date of death
1996-09-10
Finding date
2018-02-23
Cause of death
UNASCERTAINED
AI-generated summary
Hilda Billman, a 73-year-old woman with paranoid schizophrenia, absconded from Bendigo Psychiatric Centre on 6 September 1996 while an involuntary patient. She had been informed of planned electroconvulsive therapy and left the non-locked psychiatric unit. Despite extensive police search efforts involving over 50 personnel across the Greater Bendigo area, she was not located. The last confirmed sighting was 10 September 1996. Over 20 years later, with no contact with family, no access to health services, and at an age (95 if alive) inconsistent with survival, the coroner found she is likely deceased. The case highlights vulnerabilities of patients in psychiatric care and the importance of secure facilities for high-risk individuals.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Error types
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- absconded from non-locked psychiatric ward
- involuntary patient status
- depressive symptoms and delusions
- history of suicide attempts
- lack of secure containment procedures
- timing of disclosure regarding planned electroconvulsive therapy
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