Investigation into two police forces over man's death

BBC News

a day ago

An investigation has begun into two police forces and a formal complaint has been made to a hospital after the death of a man during a mental health episode.Drew Kenney, who had a severe form of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and emotional personality disorder, died at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire on 26 March.The 24-year-old's sister, Jadey Kenney, said he had been in crisis 13 days before he died, adding she informed police on that day that he had contacted her to say he was struggling and needed help.The two forces being investigated by the police watchdog - Warwickshire and Leicestershire - said they could not comment further until the probe had ended.
Mr Kenney was found by Warwickshire Police officers near a pub in Nuneaton and was taken to hospital, where he later died after being placed in an induced coma following a cardiac arrest.Ms Kenney said: "There were 30 people who came to visit him in hospital, he was loved by everyone. We were all heartbroken. "Even though he struggled with his mental health, it didn't define him as a person. He was one in a million. "We were a little A-Team, both of us. He'd be on the phone to me every day, we'd be talking about what we're doing and it's been like that since we were little kids."
Ms Kenney has claimed her brother, from Earl Shilton in Leicestershire, was put in handcuffs when he was taken by police for treatment.While in the hospital emergency department, she has alleged her brother was given a sedative and his heart subsequently stopped beating."They managed to stabilise him and put him into an induced coma, but he never came out of it," she added. A spokesperson for University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust said: "We have received a formal complaint, which we will respond to accordingly, whilst supporting any requests for assistance from the IOPC."Leicestershire Police and Warwickshire Police are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).Both forces said they were unable to comment further until the investigation was completed.A spokesperson for the IOPC said: "Our investigation began following referrals from both forces into Mr Kenney's death and a family complaint. "The investigation will look at the actions and decisions made by the officers in dealing with Mr Kenney during his detention, transport to and initial care at hospital."We will also look at the interaction between the forces, what information police provided to medical staff." The Warwickshire coroner's office said it was awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination, which could take several months, before the cause of his death could be confirmed.Ms Kenney has said the family have been left "heartbroken" by her brother's death and she has been left confused and in need of answers.She added: "We've always had each other's backs, so when he passed away it's been really hard, because it's like everything's just gone silent."If you have been affected by any issues in this article, you can access support at BBC Action Line