A WOMAN told a psychiatric nurse she had swallowed pens “as if she was talking about the weather” days before she died, an inquest has heard.
Chloe Hunt, 21, had a history of self-harming and died in March 2022 due to a cardiac arrest caused by pens lodged in her stomach and digestive tract.
An inquest has been held in Chelmsford to determine whether Miss Hunt’s death could have been avoided.
On the third day of the inquest on Thursday, the court heard how Miss Hunt received a scheduled home visit from community psychiatric nurse, Paul Tappin, shortly after swallowing four pens.
Mr Tappin told the inquest how Miss Hunt seemed at ease when he visited on Friday, March 11, even though she had swallowed the pens half an hour before he arrived.
He said: “She presented as being calm; I asked her ‘are there any self-harming thoughts or behaviours?’ and she revealed to me at that point she had swallowed three pens.
“I was quite shocked – I asked why she had done it and she wouldn’t say.”
The inquest heard how Mr Tappin told Miss Hunt she needed immediate medical attention.
Area coroner for Essex, Sonia Hayes, asked: “Did she appear very distressed?”
Mr Tappin replied: “No – that was the problem.
“It was as if she was talking about the weather.”
Miss Hunt was admitted to A&E at Colchester Hospital later that day, when a surgeon told her she would need surgery.
The next day, a different surgeon is said to have told her the issue would be managed conservatively by medication.
This led to Miss Hunt signing a discharge against medical advice disclaimer and leaving the hospital, though she returned when her pain worsened.
Deputy sister Amy Littlechild was on the Stanway ward at Colchester Hospital following a surgical procedure on Miss Hunt to remove two of the four pens.
Ms Littlechild told the inquest Miss Hunt’s blood oxygen level had not been recorded before she was put on oxygen.
When asked by the coroner why the oxygen form was not filled out, Ms Littlejohn replied: “That should have been done – I was told what it was but it wasn’t recorded.”
The inquest, which had been due to finish on Thursday, will now conclude on Wednesday, May 29.
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