Elle-Mae Wood: Mum killed on M20 in Ashford after walking from hospital
- Published
A young mum died on a motorway after walking out of hospital while "confused" and "intoxicated", an inquest has heard.
Elle-Mae Wood was hit by a vehicle on the M20 in Ashford, Kent, in June 2020.
The 20-year-old had been taken to William Harvey Hospital by police in a distressed state, but left alone about two hours later, an inquest heard.
Mother Carly Edwards said she had been "so let down". The hospital trust said it had "strengthened" procedures.
Coroner Catherine Wood questioned why staff at the hospital had not carried out a "capacity assessment" to determine whether she could make "fully informed decisions about her care and where she was going on that night".
However, she said there was no "causal link" between the failing and her death.
Paramedic Inese Rozina told the court she had seen Ms Wood "staggering" out of the hospital "clearly intoxicated" at about 01:30 BST, and asked if she needed help.
"She replied that she doesn't have a phone, she doesn't have anybody to call, nobody can help her," she said. "She was very upset."
Ms Rozina raised her concerns with a hospital receptionist, she said.
"I specifically said I don't think she's safe to be left," she told the inquest.
Another paramedic, Gavin Hobdey, said she appeared "confused".
CCTV footage showed Ms Wood had repeatedly walked in and out the hospital, followed by security guards and nurses, the court heard.
However, she was seen to leave alone for a final time at about 02:30.
She was found dead on the motorway 40 minutes later.
Her injuries were consistent with having been "horizontal" when she was struck, the court heard.
'Vulnerable woman'
In a statement read to the court, Ms Edwards said her daughter had "asked numerous professionals to help her", but all had "denied her".
Grandmother Susan Maginnis said her granddaughter had been "caring and thoughtful" and an "excellent mother".
"I feel she was let down by so many people and organisations," she said.
The coroner said: "This is a particularly difficult and tragic death as clearly Elle was a vulnerable young woman who wanted some help."
"Unfortunately she'd had too much to drink and that changed her perception of risk and she put herself in the position that sadly ended her life."
East Kent Hospitals Trust, which runs the hospital, said in a statement that it extended its "deepest sympathies" to Ms Wood's family
"We have carefully and fully investigated Ms Wood's care in our emergency department and have strengthened our procedures to assess patients' capacity to self-discharge," the statement added.