Camille Hardman: heartbroken mum killed herself in same spot as son, 16, as she 'couldn't live without him'

A heart-broken mum took her own life at the spot where her 16-year-old son had killed himself just eight weeks earlier, an inquest has heard.

In a tragic repeat of Ethan Hardman's suicide, devoted mum Camille, 45, carried out a re-enactment in the woods because "she couldn't live without him". Area Coroner Kate Bisset was told Camille, who had a history of depression stretching back 20 years, made numerous threats to end her life before finally carrying them out one night in early December 2022.

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After a search her body was found by the same police officer who had discovered her son's body in the same spot known as Forty Steps in Walton-le-Dale, near Preston, Lancashire. The coroner, Ms Bisset, said: "This was an absolute tragedy, utterly heart-breaking. Camille was an intelligent, articulate and loving lady and Ethan was the light of her life. When Ethan died she was destroyed by the loss, her heart was broken beyond repair."

The inquest was told that Camille, an HR administrator, found life too much when her only child killed himself on 14 October. He was struggling to deal with the death of his grandmother and the pressure of starting his first job, NationalWorld's sister title the Lancashire Evening Post reported from the inquest.

Her partner Richard Benson, who lives in Leeds, broke down in court as he revealed that on a number of occasions over the following eight weeks she had expressed an intention to take her own life. He said: "Camille had lots of challenges and had struggles with her mental health. But she was very loving, kind, funny and intelligent."

The inquest was told that she had been detained for a short period in Leeds under the Mental Health Act following concerns from her family and healthcare professionals. But she had managed to get out of the unit and spent three days on her own in a hotel, where she tried unsuccessfully to kill herself.

Ms Bisset read out a statement from Camille's family which said she had been given anti-depressants following Ethan's death because her mental health had deteriorated. She had periods of heavy drinking and had started attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. "She was extremely fragile, she couldn't envisage how she could carry on without him," the statement said.

On 8 December, her sister called round at her home to find the doors wide open. She wasn't in the house and it appeared she had left by the side gate to avoid being seen on a neighbours doorbell camera. She had left a note for her loved ones and "had thought carefully about what she was going to do," it said. "It was too much pain and torment imagining how she could live without her son."

Tony Garner told the inquest how he was out walking his dog in Holland Wood, Walton-le-Dale when he came across Camille sitting on steps early one morning. "She said she was fine," he recalled. "I got about six feet beyond her and she said 'just over there my son killed himself.'"

She told him about spending three days in a hotel in Leeds trying to kill herself with drink and pills. Then she said to him: "You're not going to call the police are you?"

"I helped her up and she said she would be OK. So I went home and went to work, but it played on my mind. Later that day I saw a Facebook post in which she seemed upbeat. I messaged her back inviting her to go for a walk if she wanted to talk. Then I saw a post later that she had gone back to those woods and took her own life. I realised I was probably one of the last people to see her alive."

Det Insp Mark Riley, who was the senior investigating officer on the case, said that when he visited Camille's house there were photos of Ethan laid out on the settee as well as a framed football shirt of his. Her mobile phone was recovered and it contained an account of what she was intending to do.

A number of mental health professionals gave evidence about the work that had gone on trying to safeguard Camille. They charted her ups and downs, sometimes saying she wanted to end her life and others when she assured them she had no intention of doing anything.

An investigation later showed that all the professionals involved had done everything they could and could not be blamed. But it flagged up "frustration" that West Yorkshire Police had not been forthcoming with information from Camille's time "missing" in Leeds.

Reaching a conclusion of suicide, Ms Bisset said Camille had been drinking half a bottle of vodka a day at times and Ethan's death had caused her to suffer "catastrophic" mental health problems. "The loss of a child is unthinkable, but it was unsurvivable for Camille."

She said it appeared that Camille had been deliberately calculating in what she told mental health staff so she had the space and opportunity to do what she intended. She said: "The services did everything they could to support her mental health. I am equally satisfied Richard and her family could not have done any more to protect her. There is nothing that could have been done differently by that family. And the man in the woods is not responsible in any way."

When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.