Devastated mum who was 'simply in too much pain' took her own life in same place as teenage son

A mum who 'was simply in too much pain' after her son took his own life, killed herself in the same spot six weeks later, an inquest heard. Camille Hardman, 45, was left devastated when in October 2022 her only child, 16-year-old Ethan, was found dead in woodland near to their home, LancsLive reports.

After Ethan's death Camille's partner Richard Benson desperately tried to help Camille but within a matter of days he agreed with her admission to a mental health unit in Ormskirk. Camille, who herself had worked at a suicide prevention team, struggled to overcome the sense of loss of her only child and self-medicated with alcohol as she found it impossible to sleep plagued by visions of her dead son.

A week after Ethan's funeral Richard persuaded her to stay at his home in Leeds for a while but paramedics and police were called on several occasions. Just six weeks after Ethan's death Camille, described as a 'highly intelligent and gregarious' woman, calmly made her way out of her home by the side gate, so as not to be seen, and walked to the woods where Ethan had been found dead. She was found there by police after the alarm was raised by her sister Dana.

READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community

At an inquest held last week, Richard paid tribute to Camille, of Walton-le-Dale., Lancs, in a lengthy statement provided to police. In it he described how she had 'simply been in too much pain' after Ethan's death. "She was a really articulate, bright, funny and gregarious person," Richard said in his statement. "She had lots of challenges and she did have struggles with her mental health but that didn't stop her from leading a full life.

"She had just finished a healthcare management course and she