Chris Nota, aged 19, tragically died after falling from a footbridge onto the road below.

Chris had autism, epilepsy, learning disabilities and he suffered from crippling anxiety and resulting mental health problems.

Chris died after being let down by support services.

Chris attended a mainstream high school where he stood out because of his little quirks and subsequently was picked on and bullied by his fellow students for the majority of his school life.

This was a very difficult time for him and his self-esteem plummeted while his anxiety rocketed. His mental health took a turn for the worst in year 11 and he could not attend because he had become so unwell. Chris was forced to leave school and no alternative education was identified to meet his needs.

Despite his desperate mother’s pleas, he was ignored and side-lined by CAMHS and mental health services.

With nothing to engage his mind and little company Chris became very isolated and upon the death of his beloved Nana in 2016, his mental health deteriorated to the point he could no longer see a reason to live. The only solution to all the fear, pain and anxiety in his mind was ending it all.

Desperate to help him, his mum encouraged him to join a college and study sports which was something he enjoyed. Chris was engaged, albeit temporarily and it seemed to be helping pull him through. Unfortunately, this was not to last.

A few months after leaving college Chris’s mental health began to deteriorate again. Most likely due to lack of structure and mental health support. But this time the decline was much more serious. Chris made multiple, desperate attempts at suicide, each time resulting in hospitalisation. Each time resulting in ill-informed discharges, lack of appropriate mental health assessment or support being put in place.

Chris was failed by the very people charged to provide care and meet the needs of his disabilities.

On Wednesday the 8th of July 2020 Chris had managed to discharge himself from hospital (despite lacking mental capacity to do so) and jumped off a bridge to his death. The same bridge he had been talked down from jumping off the week before, resulting in his hospitalisation.

Chris was much loved by his friends and family. He died needlessly. He died because of disability discrimination. Education, health and in particular mental health services did not prioritise Chris’s health and mental wellbeing because he was disabled.

He was often made to attend assessments alone and sign documents he didn’t understand. There is no doubt that if Chris’s mental health needs had been taken seriously and a robust package of support had been put in place he would be here with us today. Instead he was palmed off, ignored and neglected.

The family wish the tragedy to now be used to highlight and correct what they say are failings in the treatment of disabled children and adults with mental health problems.

The current independent inquiry commissioned by our government does not included deaths such as Chris, whilst in the community - has no statutory powers and we unite with Chris’s family to continue to push for the statutory public inquiry we continue to campaign for x