https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/young-mum-24-left-heartbroken-27758222?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_morning_newsletter2&utm_medium=email&pure360.trackingid=dc332faa-28fb-48e4-8537-38b9191e9675Young mum, 24, ends her own life after her child is taken into care
Lousina Negus, 24, died at her home in Cullompton, Devon, with her loved ones describing how she'd never gotten over her son being taken into care
By Anita Merritt & Ryan Merrifield News Reporter
21:41, 16 Aug 2022 Updated 07:30, 17 Aug 2022
A young mum took her own life after never getting over the heartbreak of her son being placed in care, an inquest heard today.
Lousina Negus - who faced mental health problems for years - died at her home in Cullompton, Devon, on June 14, 2021, at the age of 24. The carer and college student felt "let down" by social services as she felt promises had not been seen through, said her boyfriend in a statement read out during the hearing at Exeter County Hall. The couple shared a home with their daughter, reports DevonLive. The inquest was told Lousina had managed to turn her life around after falling pregnant for a second time, but had always been troubled by her mental health. Her partner said the impact of losing her son had also led her to occasionally self-medicate with alcohol and recreational drugs. The day before her death, however, she had been to a barbecue at a friend's house and was described as appearing happy and full of life. Her boyfriend said they had drunk alcohol and taken cocaine that evening and Lousina had become a "bit low" as a result. He recalled how they went to bed together at around 3am and then he awoke to the sound of their daughter crying at around 4.45am. Lousina was not in bed and he described finding her unresponsive, so he called 999. Despite resuscitation attempts, she sadly could not be revived. Her boyfriend said: "Her actions were completely unexpected and unexplained. She did not leave me a note so I cannot explain what drove her to do this. She had struggled to come to terms with what happened [with her son]."
Further insight into her health was provided by Lousina's father Darren. He recalled how he had raised her as a single parent from when she was 12 years old and described how they had a close bond. In a statement, he told how losing her son had the biggest impact on her mental health and that he did not feel she received the support she needed from social services and other agencies. He said: "I recall she did not manage well with the situation. It was very damaging to her and a factor that was very relevant to her action in taking her life."
Paying tribute to his "beautiful", "loving" and "loyal" daughter, he said: "I love my daughter; she will always be everything to me."
Tributes were also made in statements from her friends. One said: "She was the most lovely person who would do anything for anyone."
Another added Lousina was "the best person" and said: "I could not have asked for a better best friend and she did not deserve the things that happened to her."
Recording a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner Deborah Archer warned how "toxic" it is to mix drugs and alcohol when you have mental health problems and said: "I find the whole picture adds up to a lady who had been haunted by mental health problems for years. She had stopped taking her prescription for some three months and was self-medicating with drugs and alcohol when she suddenly decided impulsively between 4am and 5am to take her own life."
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