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Grieving mum who ‘experienced visions’ after her son’s death dies in same place
‘Her family has suffered enough tragedy for 100 lifetimes’
A grieving mum who ‘experienced visions’ after her son’s death also died in the same place just weeks later.
A devastated family has suffered two losses after a mother who lost her teenage son, after he took his own life, was found dead in the same place he was just two weeks later.
Ethan Hardman’s body was found in a wooded area of Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire, on October 14th last year.
The talented footballer took his own life a few months after celebrating his 16th birthday. His mother, Camille Hardman, told family she ‘no longer felt able to survive without’ him.
Days after Ethan’s death, Camille was admitted to a mental health unit after her family raised the alarm about her expressing suicidal thoughts.
As reported by Lancs Live, an inquest heard she was discharged in order to allow her to attend his funeral, on November 9th. But as the weeks went on, she continued to voice her intention to end her life.
Despite ongoing support from her partner Richard Benson, as well as her siblings and input from the community mental health team, Camille ‘no longer felt able to survive without Ethan’ and began to experience visions of his body being found.
On December 8th, just six weeks after Ethan’s death, Camille walked to the spot where he had died and took her own life, aged 45.
An inquest held on Monday, May 22nd, at Preston Coroner’s Court, extracts from a statement by Camille’s partner Richard described how her mental health had been ‘extremely fragile’ after Ethan’s death.
He persuaded Camille to stay at his home in Leeds after the funeral but police were called when she left his house and booked herself into a hotel for three days.
Officers from West Yorkshire Police visited Camille at the hotel but only spoke to her through the door. Camille’s family said that had they gone inside the room they would have seen items purchased in order to end her life.
Area Coroner Kate Bisset described the force’s actions as ‘appalling’ and also criticised them for failing to inform Richard of Camille’s death when asked to do so by Lancashire Constabulary.
On the morning of December 8th, after Camille moved back to her home in Walton-le-Dale, Tony Gardener was walking his dog before heading to work when he came across her sitting on the footpath in a wooded area.
In a statement he later told police: “I said ‘good morning, it’s a bit cold to be sitting on the path’ and she seemed a bit wistful.
“I felt it was a bit suspicious and then she said ‘just over there my son killed himself six weeks ago’. I realised who she was. Ethan was a similar age to my son who knew him.”
Mr Gardener said he helped Camille back to her feet and was reassured that she was going home.
Later that afternoon he came across a Facebook post made by her which seemed a little more ‘upbeat’. Mr Gardener messaged Camille inviting her to go for a walk but she did not reply. A few days later, he discovered she was dead.
Mr Gardner said he was ‘shocked and horrified’ and that he would ‘always wonder if there was anything different’ he could have done.
Area Coroner Kate Bisset addressed his concerns and said his concern was a ‘reflection of his kindness’, adding: “He is not responsible and did everything he could including reaching out to her.”
Detective Inspector Mark Riley, the senior investigating officer, said that when police searched Camille’s home they found several pictures of Ethan on the sofa.
She had left her home via a side gate which her family said was so ‘concerned neighbours wouldn’t have been alerted to her leaving’ and so she wasn’t captured on her Ring doorbell camera.
Camille’s family praised the community mental health team who they said did ‘everything they could’ but added that as an intelligent woman she was capable of convincing people she was ok when she wasn’t.
When she was struggling with her grief she would say that she had ‘lost her purpose’ and was ‘constantly thinking about what had happened’ to Ethan.
General Practitioner Dr Manoon Nair said Camille was last seen at a face-to-face appointment on December 5th. Medical notes indicated she stated she had no suicidal thoughts and was ‘hoping to get better’.
The inquest heard that on December 8th Camille’s sister Dana called police after discovering Camille wasn’t at home and had left her phone. The family also later found a note in which she had described what she wanted to happen after her death.
In his statement her partner Richard said: “It is clear in the note she had thought carefully about what was going to happen. She was simply in too much pain and couldn’t imagine living without her son.”
Returning a conclusion of suicide the coroner said: “Camille, understandably, was destroyed by the loss of her much-loved son and her heart was broken beyond repair. She suffered from catastrophic grief.
“The loss of her only child is unthinkable. It was unsurvivable for Camille. She felt no longer able to survive. Her family has suffered enough tragedy for 100 lifetimes.
“Suicide tears lives apart and sends shockwaves through families and communities. The world is never a better place through the loss of any life through suicide.”
You don’t have to suffer in silence if you’re struggling with your mental health.
Here are some groups you can contact:
Samaritans: Phone 116 123, 24 hours a day, or email jo@samaritans.org, in confidence.
Childline: Phone 0800 1111. Calls are free and won’t show up on your bill.
PAPYRUS: Suicide prevention charity offering professional help and support to children, young people and anyone concerned for someone struggling with life. Call HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039 967 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.
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Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
News
More human remains discovered in Greater Manchester as police identify victim
All the latest updates
Detectives investigating the discovery of a torso in Kersal Dale have found more human remains around Greater Manchester.
GMP released a statement on the weekend, revealing they had opened four scenes for extensive searches – one of them at a warehouse in Bury, and three in Salford.
Searches took place at Blackleach reservoir, where human remains were found, and a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood.
Officers believe they have now identified the man, who they believe to be a man in his 60s that lived in Salford, and his family have been informed.
Two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder probe, with officers saying they are thought to have lived with the victim.
Greater Manchester Police / Facebook
Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes, Senior Investigating Officer for this investigation, said in a statement at Blackleach reservoir yesterday, Sunday April 28th: “We have continued to make significant progress in our investigation into human remains being found in Kersal earlier this month.
“From day one, our priority has been to identify the man and his family so that we can give them the support and the answers that they need.
“Thanks to meticulous forensic work, we are now confident we have identified the man. Formal identification hasn’t yet taken place, but we believe he is a man in his 60s and lived in Salford.
“Specially-trained family liaison officers have met with his family this afternoon to give them the devastating news, and we will do all that we can to support them at this awful time.
“We believe he is known to the two suspects we have in custody. They have remained in custody for questioning over the weekend, as we work to establish how the victim met this tragic outcome.”
He continued: “We have painstakingly worked to follow up every line of inquiry in this investigation. Over the last couple of days, we have acted on information and had four scenes in place for extensive searches – one of them is at a warehouse in Bury, and three of them are in Salford, including here at Blackleach reservoir.
“Today, we have found some human remains at the reservoir here, and last night a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood. Forensic tests will continue to establish whose remains these are, but we are very confident that this is also the victim in our investigation.
“We have also been searching a house in Winton where we believe the victim and the two suspects lived. We have found evidence that the victim is likely to have died there – most likely in late March.
“While this is significant progress, we know there is still some way to go to complete this investigation. I also recognise details of this case will have been distressing for the people of Salford and beyond – including the officers that are diligently working on this investigation, and most importantly the man’s heartbroken family.
“Local officers will continue to patrol the affected areas, and we will provide updates when we have more information.”
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