‘The ward felt like a prison. What had I let them do?’: how my daughter was crushed by a health service meant to help her (The Guardian, 8 November 2025)

Summary

Ruth was 14 years old and being treated for an eating disorder when she died after being detained under the Mental Health Act. She wasn’t allowed to see her family for more than a few hours a week. How did the system fail them so tragically? Read Kate Szymankiewicz's story.