Coronial
VICcommunity

Finding into death of Robb Thomas Lawson

Deceased

Robb Thomas Lawson

Demographics

48y, male

Date of death

2007-08 to 2007-09

Finding date

2020-02-28

Cause of death

unascertained

AI-generated summary

Robb Thomas Lawson, a 48-year-old man with a long history of mental illness including depression, anxiety, paranoia and multiple suicide attempts, disappeared in July 2007 after declining psychiatric care. He had been managed by Dr F. and was on a Community Treatment Order. His mental state was deteriorating at his last psychiatric appointment (25 June 2007), and he appeared stressed when seen by friends on 30 June 2007. He called his mother on 1 July 2007 from Ballarat—the last known contact. Police located him in Mount Gambier on 5 July but he stated he wanted to distance himself from his family. His abandoned vehicle was found near Heywood on 9 July 2007. The coroner found he likely died in late August or September 2007, but the cause remains unascertained. Clinical lessons include the importance of timely mental health follow-up, recognising deterioration despite denial of psychotic symptoms, and coordinated responses when high-risk psychiatric patients disengage from care or express intent to isolate themselves.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.

Contributing factors

  • history of mental illness including depression, anxiety and paranoia
  • previous suicide attempts of high lethality
  • deteriorating mental state despite psychiatric care
  • disengagement from psychiatric follow-up
  • expressed desire to distance himself from family
  • history of flight when distressed
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