Mother still waiting for coronial inquest into son's death

Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust chairwoman Corinda Taylor sits in the new Hope Centre which...
Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust chairwoman Corinda Taylor sits in the new Hope Centre. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON

A Dunedin mother whose son killed himself six years ago says she is still waiting for a coroner's inquest into his death.

Corinda Taylor founded the Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust to help families who had lost a relative to suicide.

She took her son's case to the Health and Disability Commissioner who found fault with his care but the Southern District Health Board said they had done everything the commissioner asked.

But Ms Taylor disputes this has happened.

Ms Taylor has been told there would be an inquest, but she only received correspondence this month.

"We had a pre-inquest meeting with the coroner on the 13th of December last year, this is the first correspondence from the coroner and that was dated the 4th of March," she said.

She said both the pre-inquest meeting and correspondence was hard to interpret.

"We had to have lawyers, otherwise we would have been totally out of our depth.

"That just shows the unfairness on families having to face this in the aftermath, without lawyers you can't present your case in the best way possible."

She said with constant delays her family had to pay astronomical legal fees.

There was also a case pending with the Human Rights Review Tribunal, but it had been agreed between parties involved the inquest would go first.

Ms Taylor and her family marked the sixth year anniversary of her son Ross on Friday.

"This legal process is barrier to moving on forward and enjoying life, which we are unable to do at the moment," she said.

She said the system needed to change to give families more support to prevent this happening.

Need help?

Healthline: 0800 611 116
Lifeline Aotearoa: 0800 543 354
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
Samaritans: 0800 726 666
Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797
General mental health inquiries: 0800 44 33 66
The Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757

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