‘Destroyed’ mum died in same place son found dead as she couldn’t ‘survive without him’

A mother died at the same spot where her son passed away as she felt she couldn’t “survive without him”, an inquest heard.

Camille Hardman’s mental health suffered hugely after Ethan Hardman, 16, was discovered lifeless in woodland.

Camille, 45, was briefly admitted to a mental health unit after her son’s death. She experienced visions of his body being found and, six weeks after the tragedy, she walked to the spot where he died and took her own life.

The mum’s inquest yesterday at Preston Coroner’s Court was told she “no longer felt able to survive without Ethan” and a coroner returned a conclusion of suicide, Lancs Live reports.

The inquest heard Ethan, a talented footballer, took his own life on October 14 2022.

Kate Bisset, area coroner in Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen, said Camille had been among those to raise the alarm after Ethan had not returned to her home from his father’s house.

“Camille, understandably, was destroyed by the loss of her much-loved son and her heart was broken beyond repair. She suffered from catastrophic grief,” the coroner said.

“The loss of her only child is unthinkable. It was unsurvivable for Camille. She felt no longer able to survive. Her family has suffered enough tragedy for 100 lifetimes.

“Suicide tears lives apart and sends shockwaves through families and communities. The world is never a better place through the loss of any life through suicide.”

In his statement, Camille’s partner Richard Benson said: “It is clear in the note she had thought carefully about what was going to happen. She was simply in too much pain and couldn’t imagine living without her son.”

When Camille, from Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire, repeatedly expressed suicidal thoughts after her son’s death, she was admitted to the mental health unit.

She was discharged in order to allow her to attend his funeral, on November 9, 2022. Over the following weeks though, she continued to voice her intention to end her life.

Despite ongoing support from her partner Richard, as well as her siblings and input from the community mental health team, Camille’s mental state worsened and, on December 8, 2022, she walked to the spot where he had died and took her own life.

Extracts from a statement by Richard read at the inquest described how Camille’s mental health had been “extremely fragile” after Ethan’s death. Richard persuaded Camille to stay at his home in Leeds after the funeral but police were called when she left his house and booked herself into a hotel for three days.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police visited Camille at the hotel but only spoke to her through the door. Camille’s family said that had they gone inside the room they would have seen items bought in order to end her life.

The coroner described the force’s actions as “appalling” and also criticised them for failing to inform Richard of Camille’s death when asked to do so by Lancashire Constabulary.

On the morning of December 8, after Camille had moved back to her home in Walton-le-Dale, Tony Gardner was walking his dog before heading to work when he came across her sat on the footpath in a wooded area. In a statement he later told police: “I said ‘good morning, it’s a bit cold to be sitting on the path’ and she seemed a bit wistful.

“I felt it was a bit suspicious and then she said ‘just over there my son killed himself six weeks ago’. I realised who she was. Ethan was a similar age to my son who knew him.”

Mr Gardner said he helped Camille to her feet and was reassured she was going home. Later that afternoon he saw a Facebook post she made in which she seemed a “bit more upbeat”. Mr Gardner messaged Camille inviting her to go for a walk but she didn’t reply and a few days later he discovered she had been found dead.

Mr Gardner said he was “shocked and horrified”. He said he would “always wonder if there was anything different” he could have done. Area Coroner Bisset addressed his concerns and said his concern was a “reflection of his kindness” and added: “He is not responsible and did everything he could including reaching out to her.”

Detective Inspector Mark Riley, the senior investigating officer, said that when police searched Camille’s home they found several pictures of Ethan on the sofa. She had left her home via a side gate which her family said was so “concerned neighbours wouldn’t have been alerted to her leaving” and so she wasn’t captured on her Ring doorbell camera.

Camille’s family praised the community mental health team who they said did “everything they could” but added that as an intelligent woman she was capable of convincing people she was ok when she wasn’t. When she was struggling with her grief she would say that she had “lost her purpose” and was “constantly thinking about what had happened” to Ethan.

GP Dr Manoon Nair said Camille was last seen at a face-to-face appointment on December 5. Medical notes indicated she stated she had no suicidal thoughts and was “hoping to get better”.

The inquest heard that on December 8, 2022, Camille’s sister Dana called police after discovering Camille wasn’t at home and had left her phone. The family also later found a note in which she had described what she wanted to happen after her death.

The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email [email protected] or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.