Man found hanged in bathroom cubicle at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

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Mystery surrounds the death of a man who was found hanged in a bathroom cubicle at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Stefan Rychter, a 33-year-old drug addict, of Leeds Road, Huddersfield, was found hanged by a shocked healthcare assistant on Ward 17 in the early hours of November 25, 2016.

But an inquest held at Bradford Coroner’s Court yesterday (Wed) found the reason for his action will never be known.

The court heard how although he suffered from depression he left no suicide note and gave no indication of his intentions before carrying out the act.

Assistant Coroner Kirsty Gomersal heard that Mr Rychter was admitted to the A&E department at 3.08am on November 22 after taking £40 of heroin the previous day at a friend’s house.

He was thought to be suffering from an abscess on his groin. He was given antibiotics intravenously and the plan was to discharge him on November 24.

In a statement read to the court, healthcare assistant Tracy Oakley, who found Mr Rychter, said she realised “he was nowhere to be seen” and wondered whether he was in the bathroom cubicle.

She said she tapped on the door but heard nothing. She said: “I was completely shocked to see him hanging. I panicked. I had never seen anything like this before. I shouted that there was an emergency.

“Sophia Madanhi, (a colleague), cut the body down. I was in a state of shock.”

In a statement Sophia said: “I rushed to the cubicle. We found him hanging. We were all shocked.” She said the Sister quickly got a pair of scissors and he was cut down and resuscitation started.

Sophia added: “Unfortunately he didn’t make it. A police and investigation team were called.”

Graham Martin of West Yorkshire’s Probation Service said in a statement that Mr Rychter had been in and out of jail for a variety of offences including shoplifting and assault.

He said: “He believed that if he could have found accommodation outside Huddersfield he could have turned his life around.”

Ms Gomersal gave a narrative conclusion. She said: “While he might have been depressed and a troubled young man his death was completely unexpected. We will sadly never know what Stefan intended.

“There is insufficient evidence to find that he committed suicide.”

She told members of his family who attended the inquest that his death “must have come as a terrible, awful shock.”

If you’re struggling to cope with mental health issues here are some of the ways you can access help.

Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.

Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.

PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.

Depression Alliance is a charity for people with depression. It doesn’t have a helpline, but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information. The website is here

Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.

Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying. Click here for the website