Wife Passes Away Due to Excessive Water Intake, Leaving Behind a Grieving Husband Who Remembers Her as ‘Effortlessly Loveable

The family of Michelle Whitehead, a loving mother of two, is grappling with her tragic death due to excessive water consumption while she was in a mental health unit. The 45-year-old was detained at the unit due to her abnormal drinking behavior and subsequently fell into a coma. She was later transferred to King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, where she succumbed to a fatal brain injury, told the mirror.

Michelle’s husband, Michael Whitehead, 45, has expressed deep sorrow and frustration over the circumstances leading to her death. He criticized the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for their multiple oversights, including inadequate monitoring of Michelle and staff distractions by mobile phones, which were not allowed on the ward.

Michael recounted to the BBC how earlier intervention could have saved Michelle’s life. He described her as a warm, caring, and effortlessly lovable person, emphasizing that the agony of her final days did not reflect her true character.

A recent nine-day inquest in Nottingham revealed critical errors and lapses in her care. The inquest concluded that Michelle’s brain injury was most likely caused by acute over-hydration, leading to dangerously low sodium levels and brain swelling. Failures identified included delays in medical response, inadequate dosage of diazepam, excessive unsupervised water intake, and missed opportunities to detect her worsening condition and seek timely hospital admission.

In the hours before her death, only one observation of Michelle’s excessive water consumption was recorded. She was eventually taken to King’s Mill Hospital and placed in intensive care, where she passed away.

Ifti Majid, the chief executive of the trust, offered sincere condolences and apologies to Michelle Whitehead’s family and friends. He acknowledged the shortcomings in her care and assured her that the findings of the jury and coroner were being considered. Majid committed to addressing these concerns to improve patient care in the future.