NHS criticised over suicide of mentally ill doctor

A psychiatric specialist registrar who killed herself and her 3 month old daughter during a psychotic episode had been systematically failed by the NHS, an inquiry by the North East London Strategic Health Authority concluded last week.

Daksha Emson, aged 34, had bipolar affective disorder. In October 2000 Dr Emson stabbed her daughter, Freya, then herself, and then doused both Freya and herself in a inflammable substance and set it alight. Freya died of smoke inhalation and Daksha survived for a further three weeks in a burns unit but died without regaining consciousness. This tragedy could and should have been avoided had her considerable risk been assessed and appropriate …