The investigation into the tragic deaths revealed that authorities missed key opportunities to support Shirley Nunn, and had she received the right help, this heartbreak could have been avoided. It was clear that in the weeks leading up to her death, Shirley was struggling emotionally and was incredibly vulnerable.
”Always prioritized his needs”
”The severity of the cancer should have ensured attention was focused on [Ms. Nunn’s] psychological and care situation at the earliest opportunity but urgency of this was not fully understood by professionals. Her mental health should have been focused on as much as her physical health,” the report concluded.
”[Ms. Nunn] had cared for and loved her son throughout his life and without question had always prioritized his needs. We can only assume she felt there was no other option or alternative for [Steven’s] ongoing care and support needs and took what must have been the very difficult decision which resulted in their deaths.”
This tragic story raises uncomfortable but necessary questions about how we support those facing unimaginable challenges.
How much responsibility do we, as a society, bear in ensuring people like Shirley don’t feel like they have no other option? Share your thoughts — could this tragedy have been prevented with the right care, or is there more we can do to help families in need?
