‘I thought she’d be safe’: a life lost to suicide in a place meant for recovery

Brooke Martin was one of the inpatients to die at an Elysium mental health facility. Her family say its negligence defies logic'

• NHS paying 2bn a year to private hospitals for mental health patients

I thought she would be safe at Chadwick Lodge," said Natasha Darbon, recalling how she felt in April 2019 when her 19-year-old daughter, Brooke Martin, was admitted to the mental health hospital in Milton Keynes.

Eight weeks later, Brooke took her own life.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.