Mistakes made with Charlie Millers' notes, inquest hears on what would have been his 21st birthday

The inquest into the tragic death of Charlie Millers continued today (April 17) – what would have been his 21st birthday. The court heard how the mental health ward Charlie was staying on was ‘visibly chaotic’ and documentation failed to be completed correctly on the evening he was fatally injured.

The unit was struggling with a number of patients in crisis while facing short staffing, according to those working there the night he was fatally injured there. Charlie was returning from home leave to the ward that evening, the inquest heard, a move which often provoked Charlie to self-harm.

The 17-year-old trans boy died five days after he was found unresponsive in his room on mental health unit Junction 17 at the site of the former Prestwich Hospital, run by Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH) late in the evening of December 2nd, 2020.

READ MORE: Teen Charlie Millers died after treatment on short-staffed mental health ward, inquest told

Charlie died from a hypoxic brain injury after being found completely unconscious with injuries caused by a ligature. At the time he was on a strict observation regime where he was supposed to be checked on every five minutes, the court was told in a four-week inquest with a jury.

Coroner Joanne Kearsley marked what would have been Charlie’s 21st birthday by addressing Charlie’s family at the close of today’s hearing, saying: “I imagine it’s difficult every day, but I can’t imagine how difficult it was today.

“I hope today you can try to remember all the good things we’ve heard about Charlie.”

Charlie’s ward in Junction 17 was facing short staffing, as the planned nurse in charge for the night shift on December 2 could not fulfil her duties after being assaulted by a patient,