The family of a woman who committed suicide Friday by throwing herself into a freezing Nechako River is angry the University Hospital of Northern B.C. released her unescorted from the mental health ward shortly before her death.
"Everybody's really angry about this," fianc Steve Flanagan said.
The body of Susan Siemens, a 45-year-old mother of two, was found downstream from the John Hart Bridge on Friday afternoon. Her personal effects were found at the top of the steep shoreline bank with a footpath in the snow leading down to the water's edge.
Siemens suffered from bipolar disorder and had been in the hospital for six weeks following a previous suicide attempt, said Flanagan. He said he instructed hospital personnel two days before her death not to let her out.
"I told them on the third floor, 'Do not let her go on an unescorted pass,'" Flanagan said. "She was suicidal, she tried twice in the last six months. I found her both times, brought her in [to the hospital] for that, and she wasn't able to leave the hospital because it wasn't safe for her to do so."
Siemens was "under a lot of stress," said Flanagan.
Her daughter had been taken away after a previous suicide attempt and she was struggling with finances while on disability benefits, which had recently been reduced. She also had "a long history with medication issues," he said.
A video in her memory, entitled Lost Trails, posted on You Tube featuring Siemens's niece highlights some family members' frustration with the hospital's decision to release her.
"We are sad she was released alone," states the video. "If someone had taken one extra minute, she could still be here."
During the first two weeks in hospital, Siemens was meeting with a psychiatrist twice a day and was making progress, but afterward received no attention other than medication because the attending psychiatrist had left Northern Health, Flanagan claimed.
Northern Health communications officer Jessica Quinn said physician-patient confidentiality prevents her from commenting on specific cases.
But in terms of general policy, she said passes are granted to patients at the discretion of a psychiatrist.
"Anytime a patient may have a pass to leave the unit for the day or however long they may decide, it's a clinical decision made by the psychiatrist," Quinn said.
"In addition to that, the front-line team works with the patient and the psychiatrist to discuss any parameters around the pass that might be necessary - when the patient will be coming back and the safety plan for if things are not working out well."
For any particular cases that do not go according to plan, Quinn said procedures are reviewed.
"Northern Health deeply express its sympathy to the family for their loss," Quinn said.
B.C. coroners service spokeswoman Barbara McLintock said the service is aware of the incident and it's being investigated by one of the Prince George coroners.
"The investigation is still in the preliminary stages but in cases where people have had recent contact with the mental health system, we certainly do investigate that angle either through a more detailed coroner's report or potentially an inquest," McLintock said.
Flanagan said he learned of Siemens's death on Saturday when he returned from a trip to Williams Lake and went to the hospital to check up on her. Authorities had notified her ex-husband and daughter, he said.
A funeral for Siemens is set for today.
