The decision to call a non-emergency line to notify police about a mental health patient’s admission that he had attacked a woman with an axe is forming part of a review into the double-killer’s care.
It comes as the daughter of Faye Phelps backs calls for an independent inquiry into the mental health system.
The 83-year-old was murdered by mental health patient Elliot Cameron in October last year.
A suppression order was lifted on Monday, allowing RNZ to report Cameron killed his brother Jeffrey Cameron in 1975. A jury found him not guilty of murder by reason of insanity and detained as a special patient.
At sentencing it was revealed that Cameron separately told two nurses at Hillmorton Hospital about 4pm on the day he killed Phelps that he had assaulted a woman on the corner of Mt Pleasant Road and Belleview Avenue with an axe and to call police.
The nurses reported his comments to police communications at 4.36pm, but this was not taken further as a result of a number of factors.
On Tuesday police confirmed the initial call to police came via the non-emergency 105 number. The address was the corner of Mount Pleasant Rd and Bellview Avenue. This was incorrect as the actual address was Belleview Terrace.
Police said given the limited information available at the time the job was not coded as serious or a grievous assault, resulting in a unit not immediately being dispatched.
At 10.43pm, another Hillmorton staffer called police and left a message to say Cameron had since told them he made up the claim of assaulting someone.
Police acknowledged the job should have been coded a serious or grievous assault, however they believed it would not have changed the outcome of the “terrible tragedy”.
A review of the case had resulted in the introduction of training for emergency communicator and dispatch staff to assist with the decision-making process when coding events as they occur.
Karen Phelps told RNZ she was astounded by the hospital’s response, given Cameron’s “constant threats” he would kill someone.
“I find that unbelievable. To me that is a high-alert situation that should have been taken much, much more seriously. What if Mum had been alive still and could have been saved? That wasn’t the case as it turns out but the DHB didn’t know that,” she said.
“At the very least in Mum’s case it could have prevented a member of the public who knew her discovering her body and carrying that trauma for the rest of their lives. Why did the DHB not question Elliot more that day as to where he had been and ask him for an address and contact details so they could check Mum was okay? The DHB’s processes are beyond appalling.”
In relation to the wrong street address supplied, Phelps said if someone had used Google Maps and looked at Mt Pleasant Rd she believes they would have found Belleview Terrace.
A Health New Zealand spokesperson told RNZ they were unable to comment specifically on the case.
“However, as general comment there are various circumstances in which we would contact police. How we do this is based on the information available to staff at the time.
“We can confirm however, that the response following notification is part of the review.”
A spokesperson for Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said it would be his expectation that the review would cover all aspects, including the call to police.
A coroner’s court spokesperson has also confirmed an inquiry has been opened into Phelps’ death.
rnz.co.nz
