A devastated mum has taken the heartbreaking decision to turn off her teen daughters life support after a tragic accident in Western Australia.Meron Savage’s daughter Kate, 13, suffered critical injuries after stepping in front of a car.
It was the 11th time Kate had attempted to kill herself.
“She stopped at the kerb and turned around to look at us and she smiled and she leapt in front of a car,” Ms Savage told Nine News before saying goodbye to her dying daughter.
“And she hasn’t woken up since.”
Ms Savage was speaking just hours before she gave doctors the authority to switch off her daughter’s life support.
She claims Perth’s mental health system failed her daughter.
“There was nowhere, there is nowhere for suicidal teens her age,” Ms Savage said.
She said her daughter had been hospitalised for attempting suicide at least 10 times in two months this year.
The care Kate needed, but which wasn’t available, was a public health inpatient care mental health treatment facility for children aged under 16, her mother said.
Eventually Ms Savaged convinced Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to accept Kate as a patient, but it was only ever temporary.
“It took several attempts before CAMHS finally took her on as a patient,” Ms Savage said.
“She was so severely suicidal by then that she was trying to take her life all the time … anything, everything, constantly.”
Each time the hospital kept her in for a few days until “the crisis was over”.
“The crisis was never over,” Ms Savage said.
“She would come home, if she made it home, and she’d have another attempt.
On the day Kate was critically injured, the teen and her mother had just left an appointment at CAMHS.
“On the way home she wanted to visit the pet shop which was her reward for going to CAMHS,” Ms Savage said.
“She was happy while she was in there … the different animals that she loved.”
If you or anyone you know needs support: Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636, Headspace on 1800 650 890
candace.sutton@news.com.au
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