South Yorkshire man left dead at home for years prompts council review of coroner's findings
The council is ready to act with partners to guard against repeated problems
Adult care bosses at Rotherham Council are planning to review a coroner’s findings after staff failed to act over concerns for the welfare of man who remained dead and undiscovered for years.
Carl Sampson was born in 1971 but it is unknown how old he was at the time of his death, at home in Treetown Crescent, Treeton, because his body had been there for an undetermined number of years.
He had lived with his mother and his body was only found when emergency services searched the house, following a fire which claimed her life.
His remains had been wrapped in bedding, but had been there for so long a pathologist was unable to determine the cause of death and identification had to be performed using DNA matching.
The hearing heard that a former partner of Mr Sampson had called Rotherham Council for help in 2021 because she had concerns over his mother’s ability to provide care, as he had debilitating symptoms of Huntington’s Disease.
However, she was told it would need specific concerns to be raised, or Mr Sampson’s own consent, for the authority to get involved. She insisted concerns raised were “specific”.
Coroner Simon Tait accepted the situation was an isolated error and recorded an open conclusion into Mr Sampson’s death.
The hearing had been told that some internal changes had been made at Rotherham Council in the intervening years.
Now Ian Spicer, Executive Director for Adult Care, Housing and Public Health at Rotherham Council, has told the Advertiser: “We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ann and Carl Sampson following the conclusion of the inquest into their deaths in 2021.
“Sadly it is clear that no agencies were able to help the family at the time.
“Over the last five years there have been a number of changes made to the way that enquiries to Adult Social Care services are dealt with, to ensure that concerns receive more robust consideration, and we have strengthened our training and development programme for the relevant staff.
“We remain committed to reviewing and improving our services to ensure residents receive the highest possible standard of support, care and assistance.
“Health and social care partners will review together if there are any lessons to be learnt as we await the published findings of the Coroner’s report.”