[Sharon]

Miriam Merten, a 46 year old woman died recently in a New South Wales, Australia hospital in a tragic manner. She was found naked and drugged at the time of her death.

According to Miriam’s family, former health minister Jillian Skinner did not allow them to find out the situation of the deceased for the last three years.

A few days ago, CCTV footage revealed that Miriam Merten was locked in an isolation room for an indefinite time period. Her family claimed that she was left alone to die in the most disgraceful manner.

Miriam was suffering from mental health issues and getting treatment at Lismore Base Hospital. On June 3 2014, the night during Miriam died, it was discovered that she was left with no food, water and other necessary items. She fell throughout that night and her head was hit more than 20 times.


Corina Merten (right) with her mother Miriam (left)

Previously, the family was informed by hospital management that Miriam slipped and fell in the shower which eventually became a cause of her death.

The actual cause of her death emerged as traumatic and hypoxia brain damage that happened due to frequent falls. She also tried to beat herself as she hit her head against the walls unintentionally. Another source exposed that the patient was provided psychotropic drugs and she fell on the floor at least one time.

However, the management of Lismore Base hospital did not notice and overlooked this incident. It was a deliberate act that was repeated on numerous occasions by the Adult Mental Health Care Unit of the hospital. The family told that all these acts resulted in the sad demise of Miriam Merten.

Considering the reason of Miriam’s death, NSW government decided to review the prevailing mental health system altogether. Furthermore, the family believes that the real culprit of this whole incident is Jillian Skinner since she was working as NSW health minister at that time.

During the earlier months of 2017, Jillian Skinner suddenly resigned from the post of health minister and seat of parliament too. Miriam Merten’s father tried his level best to discuss the issue of her beloved daughter with Skinner. But, he was not able to get the right response from her.

Unfortunately, Skinner did not take her responsibility well enough in Miriam Merten’s case. Miriam Merten was a daughter, lovely sister, kind hearted cousin and devoted mother in her family.

If Miriam had given all the required medication and much needed attention in a timely manner, she would have certainly survived.

[BBKF]

Horrible! I can't believe this could happen. She was ignored and I didn't see that she had any food or care at all.

[laurenhayden1]

What are the laws there? That is the ipitome of neglect of helpless person by legal guardian. I can't believe what I just watched. So sad and inhumane. That nurse mopping and the one who locked her in the room naked to begin with need to be arrested!

[kellyhound]

They tried to sweep her death under the carpet by lying about the cause of death and denying family for years to find out her situation.
Bet there was someone at the monitor watching her but didn't intervene. cunts.

[1776]

Hopefully the US will soon have completely socialized healthcare so that ALL Americans can benefit from this level of care, not just the veterans fortunate enough to have access to the VA hospitals.

[Lythal]

I've actually spent time in this systems mental health unit as a patient as I live in the area, I believe the issue is lack of staffing.
The nurses bay only has the regular units rec area (and hallways etc.) in view, and for the high dependency unit, they can see the main area in there too. However, if someone is locked in isolation in HD, they have a small set of CCTV screens to see what's happening in there. Obviously they can't watch this constantly, and may not have seen her fall over every single time.
Yes she should have been restrained, but to what? They can only have a matress in the lockup room, because patients can injure thamselves, trash the room, and even hang themselves from the beds (which I believe is why her clothes were taken). If, for arguements sake, her legs/ankles were tied, she would still stand up and fall, if they secured her arms to her body too, it would only mean when she fell she would have had no way to break her fall.
They really need to have someone behind the desk at all times if someone is in lockup, to monitor this. They don't even have head nurses at the desk 24/7, at night they can't do much at all as you've got like 2 people dealing with any of the 20+ patients and they can only do what is directed in your file, or offer you sedatives if you're still awake past a certain time of night.
As for not being given food during the night, that's the hospitals fault as they lock down the kitchens and won't serve food between dinner and breakfast, so that would be why she was found with no food when she died during the night. My parents brought me snacks to hide in my room at night lol.

It definitely shouldn't have happened, but if you spend time in there and see how understaffed they can be, its no surprise this neglect has happened.
Plus some nurses are just heartless asses, which doesn't help

[DJMistressMacabre]

This is so sad, but if I said I was shocked or surprised, I'd be lying.

[vagabond]

Inhumane and totally inexcusable.

[AngelAssassin]

Poor girl... So preventable! There should have been someone watching...
FAIL at every level!

[Dr_Jackal]

Utterly heartbreaking and sad.