Inquest into the Death of Lincoln Arthur CAMPBELL
Deceased
Lincoln Arthur CAMPBELL
Demographics
52y, male
Date of death
2005-12-24
Finding date
July 2023
Cause of death
end-stage throat cancer
AI-generated summary
Lincoln Campbell, a 52-year-old Aboriginal man with terminal throat cancer, disappeared from Kununurra Hospital on 24 December 2005 while receiving palliative care. He had a PEG feeding tube, required regular morphine and sedatives, and was hypoxic and severely malnourished. Despite no restrictions on his movements, he left the hospital at approximately 4.00 am and was never located alive. Hospital staff had advised he would not survive beyond 48 hours without medical care. An extensive search including police, SES, and family members found only his clothing and medication items. The coroner concluded he died of end-stage throat cancer, likely within 24 hours of disappearance in remote terrain, having exercised his right to die on country. Clinical lessons include the tension between respecting patient autonomy and duty of care in palliative settings, particularly for vulnerable Aboriginal patients who may choose to leave hospital care.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- terminal illness with no expected survival beyond 48 hours without medical care
- severe malnutrition and inability to swallow
- hypoxia
- severe dehydration
- patient wandering from hospital grounds
- no restrictions on patient movements despite terminal condition
- patient non-compliance with feeding tube and medication
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