The family of a student who took her own life have described her as a 'wonderful' and 'caring' person who touched so many lives.
An inquest heard on January 31 how Alisha Zaman, 21 and a biology student, had messaged a friend to say goodbye.
The worried friend alerted the police, who requested an ambulance crew to attend her home in Newcastle. The door was locked, but paramedics could see through a window and spotted her lying on the kitchen floor, as reported by Stoke-on-Trent Live.
Firefighters were called to force entry into the house and the emergency services began CPR. She was tragically pronounced dead at the scene on September 5, 2020.
Just half-an-hour later, police officers searching the house found a bag of chemicals in a bedroom drawer, which led to the property being evacuated. It is unknown how Alisha managed to obtain this chemical.
Her cause of death was later put down to a chemical toxicity.
Alisha had been suffering from mental health issues for several years, although she hadn’t confided in her family.
The popular undergraduate – who was a student ambassador at Keele, championed the welfare of other students and was also devoted to helping animals – had more than a dozen consultations with her GP.
She was prescribed medication and encouraged to consider talking therapies. Alisha denied having any intention to harm herself.
Dr Sam Clarson said: “I offered to speak to her parents and she didn’t give me the consent to do so.”
But his concerns grew after an appointment on January 15, 2020.
Dr Clarson told the hearing: “I felt her level of risk had increased, to the point where I felt an urgent assessment with the mental health access team was warranted.”
Alisha was assessed by phone the following day by a mental health practitioner, who concluded there were ‘minor concerns’ about her suicide risk.
She was advised to refer herself to North Staffordshire Well-being Service and to also contact her personal tutor at university. If needed, she could get back in touch with the access team.
At the inquest, Alisha’s family questioned why she wasn’t assessed face-to-face.
John Roberts, a mental health nurse with North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare, reviewed her case notes following her death.
He said it was ‘usual practice’ to make the initial contact by phone, although it varied from case to case whether it led to an in-person follow-up.
“There are occasions, like this occasion, when following the discussion, you feel safe with that outcome. The individual wants that support,” he added.
Yet it transpired that Alisha never contacted the well-being service.
At her last GP appointment, on August 25, she appeared more stable.
Katie Laverty, director of student services at Keele, confirmed the university wasn’t aware of her mental health concerns.
“Alisha had contact with her personal tutor. She was doing well and enjoying the modules she was on,” she said in a statement.
Alisha, who was posthumously awarded a degree, has since inspired a memorial prize at Keele. Friends and family also planted a tree in her memory on the campus.
Her family said the popular student was always willing to help others and was a ‘very kind, caring and lovable person’.
Sister Monisha Zaman added: “She had such a good sense of humour. She was the life and soul of her friendship group.”
At the inquest, it emerged Staffordshire Police had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over the handling of the initial phone call from Alisha’s friend. The call had been graded ‘two’ rather than the more urgent ‘one’.
But North Staffordshire assistant coroner Duncan Richie said: “It appears unlikely that a different grading of the call would have made any difference to the swiftness of the response. The ambulance crew arrived 12 minutes later.”
Mr Richie recorded a conclusion of suicide.
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