An inquest jury has found inadequate testing at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham “possibly contributed” to the death by suicide of 12-year-old Mia Hayes.

Chloe Hayes, the mother of Mia, said: “I will never forgive the QMC or the Becton Centre for failing her.”

The failure to undertake a brain scan or further testing at QMC before her transfer to the Becton Centre in Sheffield “possibly contributed” to her death according to the jury’s verdict.

Mia was suffering from undiagnosed autoimmune encephalitis, which may have contributed to the behaviours she was demonstrating.

This diagnosis was revealed through a post-mortem examination four and a half days through the inquest, provoking gasps of shock in the courtroom and tears among family in the public gallery.

Mrs Hayes said: “The past two weeks have been unbearable sitting and listening to how badly Mia was let down.”

Amy Rossall, a specialist in medical negligence at Hudgell Solicitors, is representing the family and said: “When the family needed specialist healthcare support, it failed. We will continue to support Chloe in seeking full justice and accountability.”

Chloe Hayes said she believes the doctors at QMC simply passed Mia onto mental health services as quickly as possible, without adequate testing, which led to her transfer to the Becton Centre.

Dr Manjeet Shehmar, medical director at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, said: “While this is an incredibly rare condition and initial tests were negative, we recognise that further testing may have had an impact on her future, for which we are truly sorry.”

Mia Hayes began to behave unusually over Christmas 2023, hearing voices telling her she needed to go to heaven or something bad would happen, and attacking her mother.

She was found to be suffering an acute psychotic episode and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

She was then transferred to the Becton centre where she was found unresponsive in her room on 29 January 2024.

Mrs Hayes believes “Her mental health spiralled further out of control there” and “The many failings and lack of care meant sadly she wasn’t properly protected from harming herself.”

She said: “For 12 years Mia was a beautiful soul who loved life and loved her family, and that’s how we want her to be remembered”.

Mia’s extreme behaviour was only evident in the final weeks of her life and her mother maintains that she “Never believed for a moment that Mia wanted to take her own life.”

Dr Jeff Perring, executive director at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, of which the Becton Centre was a part, said: “We are deeply sorry for Mia’s death and recognise the profound impact this has had on those who loved her.”

Anyone struggling with mental health issues can contact the Samaritans at 116 123.