A WOMAN died from hypothermia after routinely leaving her residence unheated, a court docket heard.
Cass Terry, 55, from Exeter, Devon, suffered from poor psychological well being triggered by persistent delusional dysfunction.
The hearth brigade had been known as to interrupt into Ms Terry's property by one among her neighbours in November 2021.
The involved neighbour reported not having seen her for every week - and noticed her mendacity immobile when he seemed by means of her letterbox.
The musician and artist handed away a yr after she was positioned underneath the care of Devon's Neighborhood Psychological Well being Crew.
An inquest heard on Wednesday how Ms Terry was uncertain tips on how to use her heating system and didn't personal a washer, microwave, or fridge.
Her sister, Anne-Marie Rogers, feels that the shortage of care she acquired may have performed an element in her loss of life.
She mentioned: "I've issues about her loss of life and the care she acquired or didn't obtain main as much as her loss of life which I really feel presumably contributed to her loss of life."
Exeter Coroner's Courtroom heard Ms Terry would typically drink closely to self-medicate.
Regardless of this, a autopsy examination famous that she died from hypothermia and that she was not intoxicated.
Describing her previous struggles, Anne-Marie continued: "She was put into care at age of 14 by Devon County Council and was additionally repeatedly sectioned lately.
"She had been homeless, as soon as residing in a cave."
A neighbour recalled how her psychological well being noticeably worsened shortly earlier than she died.
In a press release, he mentioned: "She began consuming extra closely within the months earlier than handed away, about 10 cans of lager a day."
Reflecting on Ms Terry's residing situations, he added: "The climate was fairly chilly on the time [she died] and I do know she at all times used to have her home windows open.
"Once I visited her flat beforehand I bear in mind it being very chilly and I mentioned to place the heating on however she mentioned she didn't know tips on how to.
"For my part, she couldn't take care of herself attributable to her consuming and he or she ought to have had a carer."
After displaying signs of psychosis, Hertfordshire-born Ms Terry was assigned a help employee by CMHT who visited on a bimonthly foundation.
On one event, when the employee requested to assist supply a brand new fridge, Ms Terry declined - stating that she was having her kitchen fitted and it wasn't an "pressing" acquisition.
Moreover, a social care package deal was proposed by the CMHT, however Ms Terry once more refused - assuring them that her neighbours had been taking excellent care of her.
Points with an absence of heating had been by no means talked about, the court docket heard.
Ms Kent mentioned: "We needed to respect her selection and choice and he or she had the power to weigh up her choices. We felt she had perception and a capability to self-rescue by calling into providers in order that was fairly a protecting issue."
No issues had been highlighted when Ms Terry had her annual over-the-phone psychological well being test in February 2021, 9 months earlier than her loss of life.
Paying tribute to Ms Terry after the inquest, her sister Miss Rogers mentioned: " She was a delicate soul who liked animals.
"Regardless of being well-known to Exeter psychological well being providers, having been sectioned six occasions in 4 years together with a number of events in Exeter, she was discharged throughout a lockdown and judged a ‘low threat’.
"But the psychological well being providers knew she couldn’t cook dinner for herself, didn’t have a fridge, wasn’t taking her medicine, and had been sectioned the yr earlier than.
"Cass’s loss of life is an indictment of present psychological well being provision. The precept of self-determination appears to be used as an excuse to ration psychological well being providers. As soon as discharged, there was no take care of Cass. The psychological well being system that's set as much as defend folks like Cass has significantly failed her and our household."
Space coroner Alison Longhorn reached a conclusion of pure causes for Ms Terry's loss of life.
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