Antiques Roadshow mum with post-natal psychosis died after being restrained by medics
Family questioning use of force by paramedics at inquest
A JEWELLERY expert who regularly appeared on Antiques Roadshow died after being restrained by medics while suffering post-natal psychosis, a court has heard.
Alice Gibson-Watt was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after having a psychotic episode at her home.
London Coroner’s Court heard this week that the 34-year-old, who had given birth to her first child five weeks earlier, suffered a heart attack and a ruptured liver, reports .
She died later the same day in hospital.
The mum worked for Sotheby’s auction house and made her first appearance on BBC1’s Antiques Roadshow in 2010.
She was a descendant of the Dukes of Buccleuch and Queensberry and a third cousin of the current duke Richard Scott, 62 - who is Scotland’s largest private landowner possessing around 280,000 acres.
A full inquest into her death will be held next year and will look at how paramedics used physical restraints.
It will also look at the way CPR was administered following her cardiac arrest.
Mrs Gibson-Watt, from Fulham in south-west London, gave birth to her daughter Chiara in October 2012.
But after the birth she suffered from postpartum psychosis – which is more severe than post-natal depression and can cause hallucinations and even paranoia.
She was taken to West Middlesex University Hospital, in Isleworth, west London.
She was then transferred to Lakeside, a specialist mental health centre nearby, and suffered a cardiac arrest.
The mum was then moved to King’s College Hospital in Camberwell where she died on November 20, 2012.
A source told the website: “She was at home and she had an episode. She had to be restrained in the ambulance.
“She did have a liver injury. Was that [caused by] the CPR or from the restraints?
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“She had a cardiac arrest. But which came first, the liver injury or the cardiac arrest?”
At this week’s pre-inquest hearing a lawyer representing her family said an expert should examine the way medics performed CPR.
Barrister Jonathan Holl-Allen said: “The family suggest the principle purpose of the investigation is the cardiac arrest.
“It seems that [an expert] can express an opinion on the role of CPR in the causation of the liver injury which was sustained. We do know it’s recognised that resuscitation can cause a liver injury of this nature.”
Three members of Mrs Gibson-Watt’s family, including husband Anthony, attended the hearing.
The inquest is expected to last seven days and will be held next April.
After her death, relatives and friends took part in fundraising events to raise awareness about postpartum psychosis, in which the symptoms can be sudden and severe and which affects one in every 1,000 new mothers.
Katie Dyer raised £1,460 for charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis by running a marathon and a has been set up by the family.
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