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INSANE: Ruth szymankiewicz | Rare Historical Photos

Force-fed and drugged into a ‘comatose’ state: ‘Horrifying’ allegations against children’s hospitals

EXCLUSIVE: Three years after The Independent first published a damning investigation into Huntercombe Group hospitals, new court documents reveal fresh claims that children were subject to inhumane, degrading and abusive treatment in ‘prison-like’ units – as families take legal action against 35 doctors. Rebecca Thomas reports

The Independent UK · Dec 5, 2025

Sectioned children face more trauma in the institutions supposed to protect them

Letter: A parent replies to an article by Kate Szymankiewicz about her 14-year-old daughter Ruth, who died after being detained under the Mental Health Act

The Guardian - UK · Nov 14, 2025

Labour MP reveals daughter’s ‘horrendous’ experience at scandal-hit mental health hospital

Richard Quigley said his teen daughter was force-fed and repeatedly restrained at hospital where a young girl was unlawfully killed

The Independent UK · Sep 16, 2025

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Failings in mental health care demand quicker and more decisive action

THE INDEPENDENT VIEW: Editorial: Mental health services must not be allowed to shut themselves off from patients’ families. It is too late to secure justice for young people like Ruth Szymankiewicz, but it can never be too late to learn lessons from hospital failures

The Independent UK · Aug 30, 2025

‘Chaotic, scary and intense’: Inside the scandal-hit hospital where teen spent her final days

In an exclusive interview with The Independent and Sky News, former Huntercombe staff members give health correspondent Rebecca Thomas an insight into what it was like to work at the hospital where 14-year-old Ruth Szymankiewicz spent her tragic final days

The Independent UK · Aug 30, 2025

Care watchdog slammed for ‘failing’ to take action at scandal-hit hospital before teen’s unlawful death

SPECIAL REPORT: The bereaved parents of Ruth Szymankiewicz call for change after legal ‘loophole’ means hospital where their teenage daughter died could not be prosecuted over its failings, as health correspondent Rebecca Thomas reports

The Independent UK · Aug 30, 2025

‘I’d rather die than go back there’: How a vulnerable teenager was failed by a scandal-hit hospital

IN DEPTH : When Ruth Szymankiewicz’s family placed her in the care of Huntercombe Hospital they thought she would be safe. Months later, she was dead, as health correspondent Rebecca Thomas reports

The Independent UK · Aug 16, 2025

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Parents of girl who died in hospital say she had a ‘life of joy ahead of her’

Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, should have been under constant watch at Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire when she was left unsupervised.

Evening Standard · Aug 14, 2025

‘Systemic failures’ led to unlawful death of girl at mental health unit – family

A jury inquest ruled the death of Ruth Szymankiewicz, who was left unsupervised at a children’s mental health ward, as unlawful killing.

Evening Standard · Aug 14, 2025

‘Ruth had big ideas’: girl who died in psychiatric care was failed by system, say parents

Inquest told Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, received ‘little, if any, therapeutic care’ at privately run Huntercombe hospital

The Guardian - UK · Aug 14, 2025

Death of girl left alone by fake ID worker was unlawful, jury inquest concludes

Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, should have been under constant watch at Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire when she was left unsupervised.

Evening Standard · Aug 14, 2025

Girl left unwatched by agency worker at psychiatric unit was unlawfully killed, inquest finds

Jury finds failings of worker before Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, took own life amount to gross negligence manslaughter

The Guardian - UK · Aug 14, 2025

Death of teenager left alone at scandal-hit mental health hospital by worker with fake ID was unlawful

Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, died after a litany of failings at Huntercombe Hospital, where she should have had constant monitoring

The Independent UK · Aug 14, 2025

Jury in inquest of girl who fatally self-harmed at hospital to consider whether she was unlawfully killed

Hospital was ‘severely short-staffed’ on the day the teenager was left alone when she should have had constant care

The Independent UK · Aug 13, 2025

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The Independent UK · Aug 11, 2025

NHS official admits ‘what we did wasn’t enough’ for 14-year-old who died under care of mental health hospital

Mental health units for most mentally unwell children across the country struggle to staff wards, admits official

Evening Standard · Aug 6, 2025

Hospital worker tears up as she recalls death of girl, 14, left alone on ward

Ruth Szymankiewicz died after she was left unsupervised at a children’s mental health hospital by an inexperienced agency worker.

Evening Standard · Aug 6, 2025

Hospital ward ‘missing half its staff’ on day suicidal girl left unsupervised

Ellesha Brannigan told an inquest that her team at Huntercombe Hospital had to bring in staff from another ward so staff could take breaks.

The Guardian - UK · Aug 5, 2025

Worker at Berkshire psychiatric hospital where girl died had no experience, inquest hears

Man, who had a false identity and had never worked in a hospital before, left Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, unwatched despite her vulnerability

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Evening Standard · Aug 5, 2025

Girl who died in hospital ‘should have been watched at all times’, inquest hears

Ruth Szymankiewicz was being treated at Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire when she was able to shut herself inside her room and self-harmed.

The Independent UK · Aug 5, 2025

Suicidal teen warned mental health hospital staff ‘slept on shifts’ and urged ‘shut this place down’

‘Huntercombe ... is the s***test mental health institution,’ 14-year-old Ruth Szymankiewicz warned before her tragic death

The Independent UK · Aug 4, 2025

Care worker who left suicidal teenager alone had fake ID and fled UK after she died, inquest told

Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, died after she was left alone at Huntercombe Hospital despite requiring constant one-to-one observation

Evening Standard · Aug 4, 2025

Hospital worker left UK ‘never to be seen again’ after girl died under his watch

Ruth Szymankiewicz should have been under constant watch at Huntercombe Hospital after an incident 10 days before her death, an inquest heard.

The Guardian - UK · Aug 4, 2025

Girl, 14, died at psychiatric hospital after agency worker with false ID left her unwatched, inquest hears

Ruth Szymankiewicz should have been under constant watch at Huntercombe hospital

The Independent UK · May 25, 2023

Child died at mental health hospital ‘while staff were meant to be watching her’

Exclusive: 14-year-old girl died at Taplow Manor Hospital in Maidenhead after she was left unattended

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