We don't blame dad for killing mum, he was ill

The children of a man who killed his wife during a psychotic episode and then died by suicide have told the BBC that they do not hold their father responsible for the tragedy.

The deaths of Chris and Ruth Stone-Houghton occurred at their home in Portsmouth in September 2022. An inquest revealed that there had been a failure to provide adequate support to the family after Chris was released from a psychiatric hospital just weeks before the incident.

Oliver, their son, stated, "We don't need to forgive him. I never once questioned that it was anything other than his illness." The NHS trust in Hampshire has been asked to comment on the case.

Chris and Ruth were loving and supportive parents who were devoted to each other, according to their children, Oliver and Abbie Stone-Houghton. "We had such a brilliant childhood, and even in their adult life we were so close with both of them," Abbie explained.

Chris, who ran a jewelry business with Ruth's help, had no history of mental health issues. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. as his business struggled and eventually closed in April 2022 due to the Covid pandemic, he began to experience delusional thoughts. He became increasingly paranoid, believing that he was being monitored through his phone and computer and that someone was threatening him. He withdrew from his family, appeared physically weaker, and experienced suicidal thoughts.

"He didn't feel like he had anything to offer anymore," his son Oliver, now 30, recalled.

Chris was eventually diagnosed with psychotic depression and attempted suicide in July 2022. He was then sectioned and admitted to a mental health ward at St James' Hospital in Portsmouth, which is managed by the local NHS trust. His family believed he would remain there for several months. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. he was discharged within four weeks, against the wishes of his family. Ruth told the inquest that she was "terrified" that her husband would harm himself again.

Oliver believes that their close family dynamic may have worked against them, leading staff to believe that "they didn't have to worry so much about him being returned home than perhaps in other cases."

Abbie said, "We didn't really get any advice on what to do, what not to do. We were just doing what we thought was right and just hoping for the best really."

Dr. Denzel Mitchell, a consultant psychiatrist who worked at St James' Hospital, testified that the decision to discharge Chris was primarily based on the fact that he had not self-harmed or experienced psychotic episodes while on the ward. Coroner Rachel Spearing determined that while the discharge decision itself was "appropriate," the manner in which it was carried out was "unsafe" due to an "inadequate risk assessment."

Chris had a history of refusing to take anti-psychotic medication at home but had to be persuaded to take it while in the hospital. Ms. Spearing added that the family had not received adequate support, considering the burden placed on them to ensure he took his medication. She concluded that it was "unlikely" that he had taken his medication at the time of the deaths.

The inquest also revealed a lack of access to support services. Chris did not receive psychological intervention while in the hospital because the ward lacked a psychologist. After his discharge, the community crisis team twice requested that Chris receive early intervention for psychosis treatment, which was the most effective and fastest option available. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. this request was denied because Chris was 66 years old, and the NHS trust's cut-off age for the treatment was 65.

"Had he had that treatment, we don't know what would have happened," Oliver stated.

Instead, Chris was placed on a year-long waiting list for specialized talking therapy support. The plan was for the family to contact the crisis team if they noticed any signs of relapse, but Ruth, who was 60 and caring for her husband, did not receive a formal carer's assessment.

On September 14, 2022, Chris killed Ruth at their home in Portsmouth before taking his own life. Coroner Rachel Spearing concluded that he was "in the likely grip of a psychotic episode" at the time.

She stated that the deaths could not have been predicted and that Chris and Ruth were a "loving and happy" couple. Oliver and Abbie said they were "extremely close" as a family and do not hold their father accountable for what occurred.

"We both feel very strongly and know in our hearts that [dad] wasn't capable of this as a sane, rational person, and that it was the illness that had caused these events to happen in that way," Oliver said. "We don't let it affect our memories of them both."

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been contacted for comment. Dr. Charlotte Hope, representing the trust at the inquest, stated that "as an organisation we are forever improving our services" and that "a lot" of changes have been implemented since the couple's death.

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