Jury finds multiple 'missed opportunities' to help Hartlepool man Grant Lowry before he took his own life
An inquest into the death of a much-loved Hartlepool man who took his own life has highlighted multiple “missed opportunities” to help him.
Twenty-year-old Grant Nicholas Lowry, who was known to mental health services, was found dead in woodland at Brierton on June 3, 2022, after a 30-hour search by emergency services and other agencies.
An eight-day hearing at Teesside Coroners’ Court found the search was “unsatisfactory and unco-ordinated” and that missed opportunities and incomplete records delayed his discovery.
The Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys mental health trust also missed chances to do more for him.
Grant’s mum, Jill Emmerson, said: “The pain and heartbreak of losing Grant has taken its toll on us all so badly. We talk about him every single day. A piece of us is missing.”
He left home in good spirits on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, giving his family no cause for concern.
But his mother alerted the police when she later received a worrying text message from him.
Clare Bailey, senior Teesside and Hartlepool coroner, noted: “This led to an unsatisfactory, uncoordinated search with missed opportunities and incomplete records that delayed the discovery of Grant.”
Cleveland Police initially assessed the risk as medium, raising it to high 25 minutes later.
But the inquest heard there was initially no police search advisor available to co-ordinate the search for Grant, who had a diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety and depression.
There were also gaps in police’s electronic activity logs and heat source areas were not checked because of the lack of recording information and an area of overgrown bushes were deemed inaccessible.
The inquest heard the involvement of fire and rescue services alongside mountain rescue experts may have changed the course of the search.
As a result of the jury’s findings, the coroner will issue the force with a Preventing Future Death report highlighting action that should be taken to prevent future deaths.
Assistant Chief Constable Dave Sutherland said meaningful changes have been made within the force following Grant’s death.
He said: “Firstly, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to the friends and family of Grant Lowry. This was a deeply tragic incident, and we recognise how difficult it is to revisit such events through a Coroner’s Inquest.
“Since 2022 a number of significant organisational changes have been made to managing incidents of this nature.
“We are a force that is always looking to learn and improve, and we will closely examine the findings of the Prevention of Future Deaths report and act on the recommendations of this report.”
Grant’s family described him as an amazing son, brother, grandson, nephew, friend and father to his daughter.
Mrs Emmerson added: “We are grateful to the senior coroner, the jury and all of the people involved in searching for Grant.
"Our lives have been changed forever and the answers we have at the end of this process will never bring Grant back into our lives.”
The inquest concluded Grant took his own life while the balance of his mind was disturbed in the context of a mental illness.
Elspeth Devanney, director of nursing at the mental health trust, said their hearts go out to Grant’s loved ones and they remain committed to providing safe and kind care.
The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.