N.B. government requests review after teen suicide

FREDERICTON – The New Brunswick authorities has ordered a assessment of psychological well being disaster care following the suicide of a teen who waited eight hours at a hospital emergency room with out being helped.

Well being Minister Dorothy Shepard stated Wednesday she has requested Norm Bosse, the province’s youngster, youth and seniors’ advocate, to conduct a assessment, though the phrases haven’t been set.

Lexi Daken, 16, took her personal life on Feb. 24, lower than every week after searching for assist on the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton.

Her household has been public in regards to the tragedy over the previous week, asking why Lexi waited eight hours and was informed she might need to remain one other two hours if she needed the nurse to name a psychiatrist after hours.

As an alternative, she left with a referral for assist, however that by no means occurred.

“I believe among the workers will not be supplied the coaching that they’d require to work in an ER setting to cope with a psychological well being affected person,” Chris Daken, Lexi’s father, stated in an interview Wednesday.

He described his daughter because the sort of person who all the time had a smile on her face. “She was all the time laughing and joking round, guffawing and tormenting her youthful siblings. She could be hanging out together with her sister Piper,” he stated.

“Up till Lexi’s first suicide try in November, I knew she was sort of just a little bit down, however I used to be by no means anticipating a suicide try,” he stated.

Daken stated now that he appears to be like again, he can see indicators of issues that had modified in Lexi’s behaviour over the past yr. “I take a part of the blame as a result of as a father or mother, it’s best to acknowledge that stuff. I believed it was simply teenage stuff and never as extreme as what it was,” he stated.

Shephard stated the regional well being authority has additionally been requested to determine potential enhancements and report again to her by the top of the month.

Inexperienced Chief David Coon says pressing motion is required. He desires to see a public inquiry into the care Lexi acquired.

“Why are they triaged like that? Why aren’t they instantly moved into a spot the place they are often assessed by a doctor after which a psychiatrist? Why wasn’t a psychiatrist referred to as to evaluate her?” Coon requested in an interview Tuesday.

“New Brunswick has the best suicide price per capita in Canada. If you take a look at younger individuals we all know that suicide is the second main explanation for demise amongst younger individuals after automotive crashes. That tells you one thing proper there,” he added.

Shephard would not decide to a public inquiry Wednesday, saying the critiques will have the ability to get the solutions wanted.

Folks’s Alliance Chief Kris Austin echoed Coon’s for a fuller inquiry.

“Children who’re in disaster, as Lexi Daken was, ought to by no means be made to really feel as if they’re a burden, or that no one is accessible to assist them,” Austin stated in a press release Wednesday.

“Authorities should do higher to make sure minors who need assistance all the time have entry to applicable care and are by no means turned away. We can not have a repeat of the tragedy that unfolded final week.” he added.

On the prime of Chris Daken’s Fb web page is an image of his daughter and the phrases “Lexi’s Legacy #mentalhealth.”

“I am hoping (the federal government) can see that one thing must be carried out sooner reasonably than later,” Daken stated.

“We’re principally hoping that her demise would not go down in useless. We wish her demise to have some kind of which means, whether or not it is serving to youngsters down the highway, or serving to teenagers perceive there may be assist you may get. We do not need her to be forgotten.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Mar. 3, 2021.