An inquest into the death of a Pembrokeshire man who drowned earlier this year was adjourned yesterday (Thursday) after the deceased’s family made the coroner aware of complaints they had made towards the health board in the lead up to the hearing.
The inquest at Milford Haven Town Hall, led by Pembrokeshire Coroner Mark Layton, into the death of 28-year-old Lance Osborn, of Holyland Drive, Pembroke, was adjourned at the request of the family.
Coroner’s Officer for Dyfed Powys Police, Jeremy Davies, told the inquest that the body of Mr. Osborn, a former pupil of Tenby Junior School and Greenhill School, was recovered by the police marine unit on May 31, on the shoreline between Milford Haven and Neyland, after his blue Vauxhall Corsa had been found in a car park near to the Cleddau Bridge, following a ‘missing persons’ search by the police, fire, coastguard and lifeboat services.
Mr. Davies said that Mr. Osborn, who was employed as a gardener, had undergone surgery in 2016, which he had felt was ‘unsatisfactory’ and had caused him to feel unhappy.
Earlier in the year, Mr. Osborn told his mother Alison that he had sat on the Cleddau Bridge and thought about taking his own life.
A phone call to Mr. Osborn’s mother from his employers had also raised concerns as they suggested that they were alarmed by the conversation he had conducted with them one day.
As a result, Mr. Osborn’s mother took him to the A and E department, and he was seen by the crisis team at Withybush Hospital.
Ten days before his death, Mr. Osborn’s mother noticed that her son’s mood was lower and she kept reminding him that his appointment to see the mental health team was only a few days away.
On May 30, the family reported that Mr. Osborn, who resided with his parents, had gone missing from their home, and his body was found the following day.
Coroner Mr. Layton explained that the post-mortem report stated that Mr. Osborn’s death was due to unnatural causes and that the deceased had been found near a river with frothy fluid in the mouth, and that the cause of death was drowning.
Before reaching his conclusion, the family notified Mr. Layton that an investigation was being carried out by the health board, as the family believed that a lack of support might have led to Mr. Osborn’s state of mind.
Mr. Layton agreed to adjourn the hearing, until all the facts about their complaint towards the health board and the investigation could be brought before an independent medical expert.
“Police carried out their investigations, but as you the family have since made a complaint to the health board, that has not been communicated to my office, I am quite happy to adjourn this hearing for a three-month period,” explained Mr. Layton.
“The findings can be referred to an independent medical expert to carry out an assessment, and they will reach a conclusion as to whether more should have or could have been done for your son,” he told Mr. Osborn’s family.
Mr. Layton added that the inquest would likely now be rescheduled for the New Year.