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| Emily Titterington death: Voice 'not heard' by agencies | Emily Titterington death: Voice 'not heard' by agencies |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The voice of a vulnerable 16-year-old who died from a constipation-induced heart attack "was not heard" despite seven agencies being involved in her care, a serious case review has found. | The voice of a vulnerable 16-year-old who died from a constipation-induced heart attack "was not heard" despite seven agencies being involved in her care, a serious case review has found. |
| Some professionals at the time questioned whether Emily Titterington's illness was induced by the emotional challenges being faced by her mother. | |
| Her parents felt experts did not understand her issues, the review said. | Her parents felt experts did not understand her issues, the review said. |
| Agencies across the country are being urged to learn from the case. | Agencies across the country are being urged to learn from the case. |
| Emily collapsed and died at home at St Austell in February 2013. | Emily collapsed and died at home at St Austell in February 2013. |
| At an inquest into her death earlier this month, the Coroner for Cornwall concluded the cause of death was "natural causes contributed by psycho-social factors". | At an inquest into her death earlier this month, the Coroner for Cornwall concluded the cause of death was "natural causes contributed by psycho-social factors". |
| 'Don't understand' | 'Don't understand' |
| The serious case review said seven agencies were involved with her and her family during the last three years of her life. | The serious case review said seven agencies were involved with her and her family during the last three years of her life. |
| It said "the voice of the child was not heard or accessible" and no professional knew what Emily herself "thought would help her most in life". | It said "the voice of the child was not heard or accessible" and no professional knew what Emily herself "thought would help her most in life". |
| Emily, who was home educated and had mild autism, lived in a rural area with her parents in a "fixed, unchallenged family dynamic" that was "difficult" to work with, according to the review. | Emily, who was home educated and had mild autism, lived in a rural area with her parents in a "fixed, unchallenged family dynamic" that was "difficult" to work with, according to the review. |
| Chairman of Cornwall's Safeguarding Children Board (SCB), John Clements, said: "The hypothesis is the mother had her own emotional difficulties, and as a consequence... whatever relationship that existed with her daughter caused a number of conditions within her daughter". | Chairman of Cornwall's Safeguarding Children Board (SCB), John Clements, said: "The hypothesis is the mother had her own emotional difficulties, and as a consequence... whatever relationship that existed with her daughter caused a number of conditions within her daughter". |
| He added there was no suggestion this was deliberate and admitted "we don't really understand the full circumstances". | He added there was no suggestion this was deliberate and admitted "we don't really understand the full circumstances". |
| Emily was seen by a number of medical professionals in the lead up to her death, but had refused to go to hospital. | Emily was seen by a number of medical professionals in the lead up to her death, but had refused to go to hospital. |
| The serious case review found there was a lack of continuity across the healthcare system and "no clear clinical leader to grip her chronic health problem". | The serious case review found there was a lack of continuity across the healthcare system and "no clear clinical leader to grip her chronic health problem". |
| Mr Clements said a number of recommendations had been made, including working to make sure a vulnerable child's voice is heard. | Mr Clements said a number of recommendations had been made, including working to make sure a vulnerable child's voice is heard. |
| "The last thing we ever want is for anything like this to happen again," he said. | "The last thing we ever want is for anything like this to happen again," he said. |