Mother blasts ‘lazy’ police after officers sent to do a welfare check on her daughter failed to spot she was at home before she killed herself

A mother has slammed ‘lazy’ police after officers sent to do a welfare check on her daughter failed to see she was at home just moments before she killed herself.

Rhiana Jones, 27, from Barry, South Wales, suffered from mental health problems and police were called to her home after family concerns that she may be suicidal.

An inquest was told officers knocked on the front door of her home in St Athan on Sunday, August 6 last year to check on the mother-of-three but there was no answer from inside.

They then phoned her and Rhiana told them she was out walking her dog – despite one officer noticing a dog inside her front door.

The officers said they were ‘110 per cent confident’ she was not inside the house – but did not look through any other windows, check her garden or speak to neighbours.

An inquest heard Rhiana had told them on the phone she would be ‘back in 15 minutes’ and the pair waited for her to return for 20 minutes but left when she failed to show.

The police officer – named as PC Lewis – said during the call: ‘Rhianna told me she was out with her dog and she needed to clear her head.’

Coroner Gavin Knox asked if he had questioned Rhiana on this as he had seen a dog in the house, the officer said he didn’t because ‘she could’ve had more than one dog.’

She later let a friend into her house who called Rhiana’s parents to express her concern but by the time they attended she was already dead.

Rhiana was found dead inside the house, with her medical cause of death given as hanging.

She was also found to have taken a combination of cocaine, alcohol, co-codamol, paracetamol and sertraline.

Coroner Mr Knox said: ‘On the balance of probabilities Ms Jones had not left her home when she spoke to PC Lewis.

He added she was ‘likely to have been in the garden at the time’.

On ruling whether a successful welfare check would have saved her life, Mr Knox said it ‘may have possibly, but I can’t say it would’ve probably’,

He added: ‘I can’t say any act or omission on the part of police contributed to Ms Jones’ death.

Mr Knox returned a conclusion of suicide at Pontypridd Coroner’s Court saying ‘ I find Ms Jones did intend to take her own life.’

Speaking after the hearing, Rhiana’s heartbroken mother Denise Jones said ‘lazy policing is what has killed my daughter’.

She added: ‘My whole life has changed. I can’t switch this off, this is my life, and I’m just broken. I have to fight to go through the day.’

For help and support contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org