Investigation and inquest
On 13 May 2025, one of my assistant coroners, Ian Potter, commenced an investigation into the death of Evan Dandou-Dambelle. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 21 October 2025. I made a determination at inquest of death by suicide.
Circumstances of the death
Whilst at home on the evening of 2 May 2025, Evan Dandou-Dambelle ████████ He was at the time experiencing symptoms of psychosis and command hallucinations.
Coroner’s concerns
When Mr Dandou-Dambelle was discussed at an ELFT multi disciplinary meeting on 9 April 2025, his level of contact was changed from red (weekly) to amber (fortnightly). This was the last MDT before his death.
This was also the point when the consultant psychiatrist decided to stop his olanzapine that day and commence risperidone, titrating it up gradually. However, the psychiatrist did not suggest that, in deciding the level of contact (red being weekly; amber fortnightly; and green monthly), the medication change was worthy of particular consideration.
Even if the consultant had raised the medication change for particular consideration, the team might still have decided to move Mr Dandou-Dambelle to amber, and even if they had kept him on red, it might not have impacted on the outcome.
However, in deciding level of contact from the mental health services, it does seem worthy of automatic consideration that the patient’s medication has been altered significantly.