Coroner to investigate death of 22-year-old from Newtown at Barwon Health psychiatric ward

A coronial investigation will be launched after another body was found inside a Geelong psychiatric ward, the second death in as many months.

Barwon Health have responded to the death of a person at the Swanston Centre acute psychiatric admissions unit on Tuesday. Picture: Mark Wilson

A coronial investigation will be launched after another person’s body was found inside a Geelong psychiatric ward, the second death in as many months.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the grim discovery of a 22-year-old Newtown patient at the Swanston Centre acute psychiatric admissions unit on Tuesday.

It’s believed their death, which is not being treated as suspicious, was highly distressing to staff and patients at the mental health facility.

Senior Constable Claudia Quadara said officers and emergency services were called to the ward, on the corner of Myers St and Swanston St, about 1.50pm on June 10.

“A 22-year-old from Newtown was located deceased at the scene,” she said.

A Barwon Health spokesman said a mental health team was providing support to the family.

One patient, who did not want to be named, said the death was “extremely traumatic.”

“Most other patients were affected and still are,” he said.

“I saw nurses behind nursing stations consoling each other.

“It’s very sad.

“I don’t understand how this could happen here, (they were) too young.”

It is the second death at the Swanston Centre ward since April.

All inpatient deaths at the mental health ward are referred to the coroner and are subject to a thorough review.

The latest death will be reported to Safer Care Victoria and the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist.

It comes after a 54-year-old woman was found dead by staff at the Barwon Health centre in April, with a coroner investigating how she died and when she was discovered by staff.

An inquest into the mysterious passing of Allison Naomi Eagle, 44, while in the care of the psychiatric ward was completed in April.

She was found unresponsive in her bed on the morning she was due to be discharged, with her distraught family raising concerns about the treatment she received.

Coroner Paul Lawrie, in handing down his findings, said he was satisfied her death in 2021 was a result of “unascertained causes” and Barwon Health had acted appropriately with her care.

The Swanston Centre provides intensive mental health care to adult patients, with staff including psychiatrists, mental health nurses, social workers and occupational therapists.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as Coroner to investigate death of 22-year-old from Newtown at Barwon Health psychiatric ward