I Went to Wake My Son and Uncovered Every Mom’s Worst Nightmare—How a Recent Revelation Changed Everything for Me

AS HANNAH Hall opened her son’s bedroom door to wake him for college, she was met with the most horrifying image any parent could ever imagine.

In a scene which will haunt her for the rest of her life, Hannah found her teenage son, Finn, hanging from his window.

Finn Hall took his own life in 2022 when he was just 16 Credit: supplied For more than three years, mum Hannah (pictured on the left) believed she was responsible for her son’s tragic death Credit: supplied

Though she and paramedics battled desperately to save him, it was too late and Finn died on November 18, 2022, aged 16.

For over three years, Hannah believed she was responsible for her son’s death, because she had failed to keep him safe. An inquest in August 2024 found trust had ‘provided significant support’ for Finn, despite his mum pleading many times for full-time care.

But hospital bosses have now admitted Finn needed more support. Crucially, they say that Finn could, and should, have been prevented from taking his life in November 2022.

Mum of five Hannah, 39, from Essex, says: “All through Finn’s illness, I was made to feel like a bad parent because I couldn’t keep him safe. Even after he died, the blame was on me. The coroner at the inquest found no fault with the mental health team.

Born in May 2006, Finn had started life as a little girl, named Summer Credit: supplied ‘Finn’s legacy must be that other lives are saved,’ mum Hannah told The Sun Credit: supplied

“I was and yet they loaded all the responsibility onto my shoulders. Now, at least, I am vindicated. I won’t blame the health professionals, the way they tried to blame me.

“But I do want them to learn lessons. I want an apology and an assurance that things will change in the future. Finn’s legacy must be that other lives are saved.”

Born in May 2006, Finn had started life as a little girl, named Summer.

Hannah says: “By the time Summer started school, I noticed she was different. She was quirky and highly intelligent. By high school, she was carrying a little bit of weight and was badly .

When Finn, born Summer, was caught drinking bleach at school and was asked to leave, single mum Hannah struggled to cope with her at home full-time, along with her four other children Credit: supplied Hannah with her children on holiday Credit: supplied

“The bullies were upsetting but they were not the cause of Summer’s problems. She’d tell me she couldn’t be happy because the chemicals in her brain wouldn’t allow it.”

Summer began self-harming and overdosing.

Hannah says: “She began counselling, but the sessions were confidential. I understood Summer needed her own space, but I was helpless. I was doing my best to help with her problems, yet I didn’t really know what the problems were.

Aged 15, Summer drank bleach at school and was asked to leave. Single mum Hannah struggled to cope with her at home full-time, along with her four other children.

Hannah says: “She wasn’t offered another school place so instead started volunteering.

“But she continued to make attempts on her life, and I was terrified to take my eyes off her.

“I pleaded with her keyworker for residential care. Summer needed to be in hospital where she was safe, but her doctors didn’t agree.

“Once, after an overdose, I refused to leave hospital unless Summer was admitted.

“But I was made to feel like an over-dramatic parent and eventually, I had take her home. I loved my daughter more than anything; It wasn’t that I didn’t want to look after her. But she was too ill to be at home. I believed she was a danger to herself.”

In February 2022, Summer confided in Hannah that she was and changed her name to Finn.

Hannah says: “I was relieved; I thought perhaps this might help him to be happy. It wasn’t a huge change, Summer had always been a tomboy, and we quickly got used to Finn in the family.

“He started college, with plans of becoming a teacher, and I really thought it might be the start of his recovery.”

In November 2022, Finn became depressed, refusing to get out of bed.

Hannah says: “He missed his check-up. I was worried sick, given his history. My sister called his keyworker but couldn’t get an answer, instead she left a voicemail. I felt completely helpless. There was nobody we could turn to.

“I knew he needed to be in hospital, but nobody would listen.”

Finn took his own life on November 18 2022, aged 16. Hannah found his body hanging when she went to wake him in the morning. He had already wrapped Christmas gifts for his family and left them under his bed.

She says: “I was devastated. He left a letter apologising for taking his own life. He said he was sorry but that his own brain did not allow him to be happy.

“He wrote there was no point in being alive for months waiting for one day of happiness.”

At an inquest in July 2024, coroner Angela Brocklehurst said that the NHS trust “provided significant support” to Finn before he took his own life, despite Hannah asking for full-time care.

The hearing was told Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust provided psychological care, assigned him a key worker and prescribed various medication in the months before his death.

At Bradford Coroner’s Court, Ms Brocklehurst said: “I am satisfied that Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust provided significant support on many occasions and platforms to care for Finn and his family within the recourses available to them and within the extent of Finns cooperation.”

Despite the inquest findings, Hannah pressed ahead with civil action and the Trust has now admitted that: “Finn’s care should have been escalated following concerns being expressed for his safety on 8-9 November 2022. Finn should have been assessed by (his doctor) (or another Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist) and referred to the CAMHS Crisis Team.

“The Trust accepts that if further action had been taken as above, Finn would have had a more comprehensive analysis of the risk he showed including consultation with his family and a more detailed safety plan and, on balance, would not have taken his life on 18 November 2022.’’

Hannah later accepted a settlement.

She says: “I’ve had to battle every step of the way; I was made to feel like a failure because I couldn’t keep my son safe. This has destroyed me as a mother, and my children are heartbroken. We went on our first family holiday last year since his death and every day was a struggle; we all missed him so much.

“I understand Finn was very unwell. But if he’d been taken into hospital, as I had asked, so many times, at least he’d have stood a chance.

“I don’t want money, that won’t bring him back. But I do want lessons learned and I would like an apology from the people who failed him. So far, nobody from the hospital trust has reached out to me to apologise or to explain if, or how, they plan to make changes so that other children can be better supported.”

Following the inquest, a spokesperson for Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust said it had carried out a “thorough investigation” to identify any learnings for services directly involved “in the care of children and young people’s mental health” since Finn’s death.

“We have made a number of improvements, including how we involve young people, families and carers in the assessment and treatment of their mental health needs, and specialist training for clinicians on assessing risks when children and young people are experiencing a mental health crisis.”

Richard Starkie, a Director at Switalskis Solicitors who supported Hannah throughout the inquest and her subsequent legal case against the Trust, said: “This has been a truly horrendous experience for Hannah and her family. Nothing can ever bring Finn back and that is something his mum will always have to live with.

“However, she’s always been determined to make sure the Trust acknowledged that mistakes were made and that it made changes to ensure it couldn’t happen again. Her priority was always about ensuring services are improved so other families do not suffer the unimaginable suffering which Hannah has endured.

“At times, she was made to feel like she had somehow been partly responsible for Finn’s death, which just added to her suffering, but the outcome of this case now makes it very clear where the faults were and the improvements that need to be made.”