TikTok star's death was 'avoidable', say family

The family of an influencer, who died after taking a poisonous substance she had ordered online, believe her death would have been "avoidable" if appropriate support had been put in place, an inquest has heard.

Imogen Nunn, who died at her Brighton flat on New Year's Day 2023, had struggled with her mental health from the age of 14.

The 25-year-old, known as Immy, posted videos about mental health and being deaf on her TikTok account, which had close to 780,000 followers.

In a statement read out to the inquest at West Sussex Coroner's Court in Horsham, her parents, Louise Sutherland and Ray Nunn, said Ms Nunn had been "failed" by services that were meant to have helped her.

Warning: Contains distressing content

The inquest heard how from 2021 until the time of her death, Ms Nunn had been supported by Venture People, and had received care and treatment from both a specialist Deaf Adult Community Team (Dact) at South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust, and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

In a statement read out during the hearing, Ms Nunn's parents described their daughter as kind and gentle, and added they thought Tiktok had been "good for her to build up her self-esteem".

The inquest heard that by July 2022, Ms Nunn's mental health had begun deteriorating again and she had purchased a poisonous substance online on 14 November.

Her father contacted Carmen Jones, her allocated worker at Dact, on 23 November complaining she had suicidal thoughts.

Sussex Police conducted a welfare check, but no British Sign Language interpreter attended, and Ms Nunn did not see mental health professionals "for at least several weeks afterwards", the inquest heard.

On 29 December, after spending Christmas with her parents, Ms Nunn harmed herself and went to A&E at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

The inquest heard she had texted her care coordinator Ray McCullagh, at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, saying: "I'm simply having the worst few months and I think I need to be admitted to a ward with sign language.

"I cannot look after myself anymore. I can easily go into the last resort and I don't want to."

Ms Sutherland said: "We believe Immy's death was avoidable, and had appropriate actions been taken in response to the numerous times Immy contacted professionals she trusted asking for help, she would still be alive today.

"Had appropriate actions been taken in response to the numerous times Immy contacted professionals she trusted asking for help, she would still be alive today."

When asked by the West Sussex senior coroner, Penelope Schofield, if anything more could have done for Ms Nunn, consultant psychiatrist Dr Omar Nasiruddin said it was a "difficult question to answer".

"One of things that stood out was just how high and consistent her risk was throughout her time with us," he told the coroner.

"We were constantly asking ourselves what's working and what's not working."

The inquest is expected to conclude on 28 March.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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