Ezaria Hudson takes her own life at 17 after being released by NSW hospital despite father’s plea

Ezaria Hudson was victim to an unspeakable act at 15. But it's what happened two days before she died that has her family enraged.

Mitch Hudson begged staff at a NSW hospital not to release his teenage daughter after her second suicide attempt in a week.

“I pleaded with the doctor. I said, ‘the next call I get she’s going to be dead’.”

But his appeal fell on deaf ears and so it was that two days later on December 27, 2023 he received news that 17-year-old Ezaria Hudson had died.

Mr Hudson knows his daughter “wasn’t an angel” – she suffered from suspected borderline personality disorder (BDP) and drug addiction, and could be difficult to handle.

Ezaria Hudson, who died aged 17 after multiple suicide attempts. Picture: Supplied

Ezaria’s father has shared her tragic tale. Picture: Supplied

But he says the fact Ezaria was allowed to be released again despite repeated attempts on her own life showed medical guidelines around such incidents amount to “a death sentence”.

“She was just too difficult, that’s why she was allowed to leave,” he said.

“She had a collapsed lung, she was irrational, she was unhinged. But she was still unwell.

“If she was a cancer patient and she was in ICU there would be no way they would allow that patient to walk out.

“I don’t believe that the medical guidelines should be a death sentence.”

Released to chaos

Mr Hudson has spoken out to highlight the devastating tale of his teen daughter’s final years as he fears countless other young Australians are similarly being let down.

Ezaria was twice admitted to Gosford Hospital after overdosing in the week leading up to Christmas 2023.

On the second occasion, Mr Hudson says, he was told by doctors they were treating Ezaria for drug and alcohol issues and not mental health.

The teen who had recently lost her place in a refuge was discharged to “nowhere” as soon as she was alert without a call to her father, he said. She then overdosed one final time.

“She’s not the first, she’s not going to be last and I believe it would happen every day across Australia,” he told news.com.au

“I don’t think there’s an answer because the underlying problem is the policies and procedures they follow.

“If you look at borderline personality disorder … they encourage releasing back into the community.

“How’s that going to work? You’re releasing them to chaos.”

The teenager had struggled with addiction in her final years. Picture: Supplied

He said Ezaria had become “just another statistic” in the battle against youth mental illness and feels she was failed by a “completely broken system”.

Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows 94 Australian children died by suicide in 2023, with the majority of those aged 15 to 17.

Staggeringly, suicide represented 31.8 per cent of all deaths for people aged 15 to 17 years and 33.1 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 – up 16.5 per cent and 23.9 per cent respectively since 2001.

A 2022 study by headspace found more than half of young people believed their mental health was getting worse, with 42 per cent citing social media for the decline.

Ezaria was taken to Gosford Hospital twice in the week she died. Picture: AAP Image/Sue Graham

‘10 out of 10’

Mr Hudson fully supports the federal government’s ban on social media for under 16s, saying the impact it had on Ezaria’s mental health was “10 out of 10”.

Her interactions online led to her in December 2021, aged just 15, being sexually assaulted by an adult man who was later jailed.

“She had no idea what evil there was in the world,” Mr Hudson said.

The father revealed his daughter was also traumatised by being turned away from hospital three times after attending to undergo a sexual assault investigation kit procedure.

“She was let down time and time again,” he said.

It took three visits to Gosford Hospital across several days before a qualified staff member was made available to conduct the tests that are crucial in rape prosecutions.

“That just sent her on a massive spiral that was out of control,” Mr Hudson said.

“It was disgusting.”

Ezaria struggled to process the incident and attempted suicide in January 2022, with doctors telling Mr Hudson his daughter likely had BPD.

Afterwards she did not return home and began living in the refuge housing system, where she stayed until shortly before her death in December 2023.

Jude Constable, the acting chief executive of Central Coast Local Health District, expressed “sincere condolences” to Ezaria’s family in a statement to news.com.au.

Mitch Hudson raised his daughter on NSW’s Central Coast. Picture: Supplied

“While we are unable to comment on an individual patient’s care, we are committed to providing all patients with timely, safe and high-quality care, personalised to their individual needs,” she said.

“CCLHD has previously offered to meet with the patient’s family to discuss their concerns about the care provided and this offer remains available to the family.

Ms Constable said “extensive resources” had been dedicated to rebuilding its specialised sexual assault care workforce, and all decisions regarding mental health were guided by the NSW Mental Health Act.

She said under the act “the least restrictive care should be prioritised to ensure that patients receive appropriate and respectful treatment while safeguarding their rights and wellbeing”.

Involuntary admission was only allowed when an authorised officer was of the opinion “the person is a mentally ill (or mentally disordered)” or “no other care of a less restrictive kind, that is consistent with safe and effective care, is appropriate and reasonably available”.

The biggest problem

Suicide Prevention Australia last week welcomed the federal government releasing the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, which has been delayed since June 2024.

The organisation revealed November saw the largest monthly increase in suspected suicides in the last five years for NSW – rising 56 per cent compared to the previous month.

Its chief executive Nieves Murray said each year 3000 Australians took their own lives, 55,000 people attempt suicide and thousands more experience suicidal distress.

“The impact is devastating, but with the right policies and investment, suicide is preventable,” she said.

“A strategy alone won’t save lives — what happens next will determine its success.

“We need clear investment and action to bring this Strategy to life and ensure the people and communities most at risk get the support they need, when and where they need it.”

Suicide Prevention Australia chief executive Nieves Murray. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Mr Hudson also spoke on the lack of rehab and mental health facilities available to treat young people through the public system, saying it might be “the biggest problem” of all.

“Unless you have $20,000, there isn’t a rehab facility that you actually feasibly get into,” he said.

“You’ve got a lot of free services once a young person turns 18, and they are wonderful … they have great success rates. But they’re only open to over 18s.”

Mr Hudson said he was locked in a “battle” to get his daughter to adulthood.

“I knew I had to be there for her until she was 18, and then we could access other support services,” he said.

“It’s a difficult thing dealing with someone with mental health because at the end of the day, if they don’t want to get help they’re not going to get help.

“Ezaria was an amazingly intelligent, bright young woman, and couldn’t find her way in the world.”