NEED TO KNOW
In January 2024, a 12-year-old girl, Mia Lucas, died in a psychiatric facility in England
This week, a hearing at a coroner’s court determined the child was suffering from a rare but possibly treatable brain disorder that spurred her behavior
After hearing the new evidence, Mia’s mom wiped away tears
A mom was in tears earlier this week as she learned her 12-year-old daughter, who died in a psychiatric unit in England last year, was suffering from a rare but possibly treatable brain disorder that spurred her behavior.
On Monday, Nov. 24, new evidence was presented at a hearing at Sheffield Coroner’s Court that proved that Mia Lucas had autoimmune encephalitis, the BBC, ITV and YorkshireLive reported.
During the hearing, which began last week, officials have been determining whether the condition could have played a part in the girl’s death.
Almost two years ago, Mia was hearing voices that told her to hurt herself and tried to get knives from the kitchen, prompting her to be taken to Becton Centre in Sheffield.
She was found unresponsive in her room on Jan. 29, 2024, according to the news reports.
Originally, the jury at the court in Sheffield was told that there was no physical reason for the psychosis Mia experienced.
But, on Monday, Marta Cohen, a pathologist, said that new blood test results were “conclusive,” the BBC reported.
Autoimmune encephalitis (or AE) can be deadly and has a range of effects, including psychiatric symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Following the presentation, Chloe Hayes, Mia’s mom, and other family members wiped away tears, according to the BBC.
The family’s pain first began on Dec. 31, 2023: Mia had attempted to get knives from the kitchen and her mom struggled to stop her, according to YorkshireLive.
The preteen was hallucinating and heard voices that told her she needed to go to heaven or something bad would happen to her loved ones, the outlet reported from the hearing.
Concerned for Mia’s safety, her family took her to Queen’s Medical Centre in her hometown of Nottingham on New Year’s Eve.
By Jan. 9, 2024, she was sent to Becton Centre after her doctors found that there was no physical ailment that had caused the psychosis, YorkshireLive reported.
Even though she was being monitored, with nightly check-ins every hour, she was found unresponsive on Jan. 29. and declared dead the next day, the BBC reported.
The cause of death remains “compression of the neck,” Cohen said at Monday’s hearing, but she added that it was caused by “acute psychosis” triggered by the newly confirmed condition, according to the outlet.
Dr. Mike Taylor, a pediatric neurologist, served as a consultant earlier on Monday and had said that it was “possible” Mia had AE but not “probable.”
Following the results of the blood tests, he later told the jury that it was now “definite” that she had AE, the BBC reported.
Hudgell Solicitors / SWNS
Mia Lucas.
While sitting at the witness stand, Taylor added that it was “quite concerning” that doctors at Queen’s Medical Centre allegedly didn’t do more tests, but he understood the challenges they were facing to correctly diagnose the young girl.
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Treatments for AE can have dangerous side effects, including death, the neurologist told the court, according to the BBC. The condition is a “complex and rare presentation which is very difficult for clinicians to pick up,” Taylor told the court, according to ITV.
He added that extreme psychosis is incredibly rare in 12-year-old kids.
Hudgell Solicitors / SWNS
Mia Lucas.
The last day of the hearing is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 28, according to the Sheffield City Council website.
The Sheffield Coroner’s Court did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
As the investigation continues, Mia’s mom is remembering her. Hayes told the court that she loved to draw, sing and go horseback riding, according to ITV.
Once she got older, she wanted to be a beauty salon owner or a vet.
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