Girl, 12, tried to harm herself before death

Mia Lucas was suffering from acute psychosis before her death, an inquest has heard

A 12-year-old girl who died at a specialist children's unit after being detained under the Mental Health Act had tried to harm herself on at least four occasions before her death, an inquest has been told.

Mia Lucas, from Arnold in Nottingham, was found unresponsive at the Becton Centre in Sheffield on 29 January and was pronounced dead the next day.

She had been transferred to the specialist unit after suffering from acute psychosis, the inquest at Sheffield's Medico-Legal Centre was told.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Danielle Lavelle told the inquest on Tuesday that Mia had tried to harm herself on several occasions at the unit but had always told staff what she was doing.

The jury heard that Mia told staff she was hearing voices that had told her to harm others and that she was unable to sleep and saw frightening characters.

Mental health nurse Lucia Mashava told the inquest Mia's condition had worsened since being admitted to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham on New Year's Eve - before she was transferred to the Becton Centre.

She said Mia was often "unsettled, aggressive and distressed".

However, she said she also had periods where she seemed happy and talked about her future plans of opening a nail salon or becoming a vet.

Mia had been hearing voices and seeing characters, the inquest heard

After Mia had been admitted to the Becton Centre, staff decided that during the day she would be on 15 minute "arm's length" observations at all times - where a member of staff was with her constantly.

But she found it "unendurable" and highly intrusive, Dr Lavelle, from Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, said.

During the night, Mia was also checked on hourly.

The daytime observations seemed to exacerbate Mia's condition, Dr Lavelle said, so the aim was to reduce them if the girl's behaviour settled and she developed relationships with staff.

She was at times "lively and full of life" and engaged with lessons, but her behaviour was "changeable" and she could become "frustrated and cross", especially at being observed so closely, Dr Lavelle said.

Mia tried to harm herself on at least four separate occasions during her time at the facility but told staff what she was doing and Dr Lavelle said: "She was telling us she needed extra support."

Mia's last incident of self harm took place in the early morning of 29 January but it was not noted in the staff handover.

When asked if extra steps would have been taken to monitor Mia if she had known about the incident, Dr Lavelle said: "It is impossible to answer but I have asked myself that question more times than I can tell you.

"But on balance, Mia did not come across as someone who wanted to end her own life."

Mia pictured with her mother, Chloe Hayes, who has attended the inquest with other family members

At about 23:30 GMT on 29 January, 30 minutes after last being observed by staff, Mia was found unresponsive on the floor in her room.

The inquest previously heard Mia had suffered both verbal and physical bullying at school and had recently moved home.

Various tests to check for a physical reason for her psychosis, including an MRI scan, came back normal, senior coroner Tanyka Rawden was told.

The inquest continues.

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