A coroner has criticised the behavior of a carer who argued with Jamie Cole, a 25-year-old autistic man, hours before he tragically died from a fall off a hotel balcony in Tenerife.
Jamie, from Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, was on holiday with a carer from Lifestyle, a private care company also known as Accomplish. He had a history of suicidal thoughts and was described as an extremely anxious young man who required constant reassurance.
The incident unfolded on the evening of January 14, 2023. Jamie and his carer, Lousha Rees, planned to dine at a restaurant, but a disagreement arose when Ms. Rees insisted on ordering the most expensive meal, which Jamie was unwilling to pay for. Following the argument, Jamie left the restaurant. Ms. Rees sent him texts calling his behavior “totally inappropriate” and saying she would not support him when he was “acting like a 12-year-old.”
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Ms. Rees later claimed that Jamie had made her uncomfortable by addressing her as his girlfriend at the restaurant. She checked on him at the hotel afterwards, where he told her he was “fine.” Tragically, later that evening, Jamie sent a final message to a care company manager, Laura Warrant, stating: “I’m going to jump now, you can tell everyone I love them, especially my Mum.” Ms. Warrant responded by telling him to “stop being silly” and encouraging him to rest.
Jamie was found dead the same evening, having fallen from the hotel’s fifth-floor balcony. His mother, Martine Cole, learned of the death the following morning. The coroner, Dr. Peter Harrowing, described Jamie as an independent individual who thrived with the right support but was vulnerable due to his mental health and autism.
Dr. Harrowing criticised Lifestyle’s risk assessment, noting it was completed hastily and failed to incorporate all of Jamie’s mental health conditions adequately. He also deemed Ms. Rees’s actions inappropriate in the moments preceding Jamie’s death and said that the response from the care company manager may have worsened the situation. Despite these failures, he concluded there was no gross misconduct.
Lifestyle has since introduced an improvement plan to address the care shortcomings identified in this case.
Jamie’s mother paid tribute to her son’s joyful and loving nature and emphasized that his autism made him susceptible to distress, with triggers well documented in his care plans. She expressed sorrow that Jamie went on holiday happy and healthy but never returned, calling on care providers to take their responsibilities seriously.
This tragic event underscores the critical importance of thorough risk assessments and sensitive, informed care for vulnerable individuals, especially during activities like holidays where new environments may increase risk.