An NHS trust and a ward manager are due to be sentenced next week for health and safety failings linked to the death of a young woman who took her own life at a secure mental health hospital nearly ten years ago. The North East London NHS Foundation Trust and ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa were found guilty earlier this year of failing to protect 22-year-old Alice Figueiredo at Goodmayes Hospital in London, where she died in July 2015.
The verdicts followed one of the longest jury deliberations in English legal history, marking a critical moment in the ongoing scrutiny of mental health care standards within the NHS.
Family Says Systemic Failures Led to Daughter’s Death
Alice’s parents endured a seven-month trial that presented deeply distressing evidence about the circumstances surrounding their daughter’s death. Her mother, Jane Figueiredo, said the legal process retraumatised the family, as it forced them to relive the pain and failures that led to Alice’s death.
“It’s very distressing because you know that she’s been failed at every point all the way along, and you’re also reliving the suffering that she went through,” she said. “It’s adding trauma on top of the wound that you’ve already got, the worst wound you can imagine, of losing your child.”
Alice’s stepfather, Max, said he remains “appalled” that she died in a place meant to keep her safe. “The fact we have these repeated deaths of very young people in secure mental health units shocks me to the core,” he said. “How can society look at that event and portray it as something that happens as a matter of course?”
Patient Had Expressed Fear for Her Safety Before Death
In a chilling statement, Ms Figueiredo revealed that her daughter had predicted her own death, telling her family: “The only way I’m going to leave this ward is in a body bag.” She said Alice had become terrified during her time at the hospital, believing she was not safe even in a supposedly secure environment.
NHS Trust Issues Apology But Family Says Closure Is Impossible
In a statement, the North East London NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are deeply sorry for Alice’s death, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones. We have taken significant steps to continually improve the physical and social environment, deliberately designed to support recovery, safety, wellbeing, and assist our workforce in delivering compassionate care.”
Despite the convictions and the trust’s statement, Alice’s family said they have never received a personal apology from the hospital and continue to struggle with the loss. “As a mum your bereavement doesn’t ever end,” Ms Figueiredo said. “It changes over the years as you go on, but it’s unending. The thought I won’t even hear her voice is unbearable and I still miss it.”
Ongoing Scrutiny of Mental Health Care Failures
Alice’s case has reignited national debate over patient safety within mental health institutions. In recent years, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has repeatedly raised concerns about staff shortages, poor supervision, and unsafe environments in several NHS-run mental health facilities.
The Goodmayes Hospital case is one of several that have prompted calls for an independent review into how mental health units are managed and monitored. Campaigners say the system continues to fail vulnerable patients despite repeated warnings, urging the government to prioritise reform and accountability in mental health care.
As sentencing approaches, Alice’s family hopes the case will lead to lasting change and prevent future tragedies.
