Mother fell to her death from 10th floor apartment after telling hospital staff she would throw herself out the window if sent home

A young mother fell from her 10th floor apartment just hours after warning hospital staff that she would throw herself out a window if she was sent home, an inquest has found.

Abigail Pinhorne asked to be let in when she was admitted to the ER – she “frequently stated” that she was jumping out of the skyscraper, a hearing said.

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But the 24-year-old was released before falling from her Southampton flat and was then found by a passing security guard.

She was still conscious when paramedics arrived and took her to Southampton General Hospital.

But the mother of one child died ten days later after several operations – including the amputation of both legs.

Her mother told the Winchester Coroner’s Court today that “no one else is interested” in protecting her daughter.

Leona Pinhorne suggested that mental health professionals found Abigail’s lack of cooperation “frustrating” and speculated that admitting it would “take up space”.

Abigail suffered from Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder – also known as EUPD – and her mother said she was “devastated” by her grandmother’s sudden death in 2016.

Hampshire Coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said at the hearing that Abigail appeared “fragile” leading up to her death in June 2021.

The coroner said: “Abigail went into the ER on June 6th.

“She said if she wasn’t taken to the hospital she would die.

“After being evaluated by a psychiatrist, she was released home and not long after, very sadly, she jumped from her 10th floor apartment, sustaining very serious injuries which resulted in her death.”

In a statement read in court, Abigail’s mother said: “As a family we tried to keep Abi safe – it seems no one else was interested.”

The family were “excited at first” when Abigail got her own apartment in the Hightown Towers building.

But her mother said she was “institutionalised” by a stay at Antelope House psychiatric facility in Southampton.

Ms Pinhorne said: “After being removed from the windowsill on a number of occasions, that hope turned to fear and we became concerned for her safety.”

The inquest found Abigail presented to Southampton Hospital around 6pm on June 6, 2021 after an ibuprofen overdose was suspected.

She “requested admission,” the inquest said, before being discharged home the night before her fatal fall.

Ms Pinhorne claimed staff found her daughter “frustrating” as she didn’t “want to participate” in psychological treatment and was “just taking up bed space”.

dr Steve Halford – a consultant in emergency medicine at University Hospitals Southampton – said at the hearing that Abigail was a heavy-duty user with “at least” 10 visits to the emergency room over the course of a year.

He said it was felt that EUPD patients “do not always benefit from being admitted to a bed”.

The inquest found Abigail died on June 17 from “multiple traumatic injuries” sustained in a fall from “a great height.”

In a tribute to her daughter, Ms Pinhorne said: “Abi’s daughter Amelia is now growing up without seeing her mother again.”

“Abi was so proud of her and would have loved to have been there on her first day of school and her first boyfriend. She will never see her grandchildren.”

“I just can’t believe someone died in such a horrible way in the care of so many people.

“The night the police knocked on the door, I knew my worst nightmare had come true.”

The investigation continues.

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