The family of woman whose body was found in a river three weeks after she disappeared have said she was failed “time and again”, after a coroner voiced “concerns” over the mental health support she was given in the months leading up to her death.
Victoria Taylor, 34, went missing from her home in Malton, North Yorkshire, on September 30 last year and her body was recovered from the swollen River Derwent, near the town, on October 22, following a major police search.
An inquest on Wednesday heard how mother-of-one Ms Taylor had struggled with alcohol and mental health problems related to childhood trauma, which a coroner described as “leaving an indelible mark on her life in the form of depression, anxiety and chronic feelings of worthlessness”.
In a statement issued after the inquest in Northallerton, Ms Taylor’s sister Emma Worden said: “Vixx was a devoted mother, a loving fiancee, and a fiercely loyal sister.
“She showed up for those she loved with warmth, humour and a deep sense of care.
“Her relationships were central to her identity, and she gave everything she had to protect and support the people around her.”
Ms Worden said: “She also lived with challenges, these were not hidden.
“She reached out for help. She made herself visible to services. And yet, time and again, she was failed and left without the support she needed.
“The failures in her care were not isolated incidents.
“They were part of a wider pattern of systemic neglect and under-resourcing in mental health services.
“Vixx deserved better. She deserved to be seen, heard and supported. Instead, she was left to carry burdens alone.”
And Ms Worden said: “Her death is a tragedy, but it must also be a turning point.
“Let this inquest be a step toward accountability, learning and change.”
During the day-long inquest Ms Worden turned to representatives of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) saying they were going “round in circles”.
She said: “Nobody looked her in the eye and said we will help you, and she’s not here now because you failed her.”
North Yorkshire area coroner Catherine Cundy recorded a narrative verdict, saying she could not be sure of Ms Taylor’s intentions when she went into the river given her alcohol intake and bizarre behaviour witnesses had observed earlier.
But she said she will be writing to TEWV and a number of other agencies with her concerns over the support Ms Taylor was given.
She said she found it “difficult to understand” why community mental health services repeatedly declined to offer her support as her situation deteriorated during 2024.
Ms Cundy said she believed this was partly because she was treated as an alcoholic when she was not dependant on alcohol, instead being someone who binged on wine when her emotions relating to her traumatic past overwhelmed her.
The coroner said that, instead, one crisis assessment suggested she seek help with Alcoholic Anonymous, even though they knew she was engaged with another alcohol abuse support organisation called Horizon, and another “signposted” her to a private therapy provider.
The court heard how how Ms Taylor had to be pulled from the River Derwent by her brother two months before her death, in July 2024, and was taken to hospital.
Three weeks later she was taken to A&E because she took an overdose after drinking two bottles of wine.
Ms Cundy said community mental health services did not get involved even after these incidents.
The coroner said that, because Ms Taylor could function normally without alcohol and was articulate about her problems, this left her “in something of a limbo”.
She acknowledged that a number of agencies were involved with her but the focus appeared to be on her alcohol problems rather than addressing her “unresolved trauma issues”.
Ms Cundy said this case showed there was still a tendency for mental health services to work “in silos” and asked whether a multi-agency approach would have helped.
In a statement read to the court, Detective Superintendent Graeme Wright, who led the investigation into Ms Wright’s disappearance, said he believed she went into the water at about 2pm on September 30 and that is when she drowned.
The officer said that the river was much deeper and colder than when she waded in during the July incident and she would have not been able to stand due to the depth at the bank.
He described how Ms Taylor’s behaviour spiralled out of control between lunchtime on Sunday September 29 and the same time on the following day.
In a statement read by the coroner, Ms Taylor’s fiancee Matthew Williams said she was “utterly devoted” to her daughter, who was born in 2022, but her family believed she developed post-natal depression which exacerbated her existing mental health problems.
Mr Williams said she was also devoted to her work as a nurse and the manager of a dementia unit in a care home.
In her witness statement, Ms Worden said: “We know in our hearts she did not take her own life. Not intentionally.”
Elspeth Devanney, group director for nursing and quality at TEWV, said: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Victoria’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.
“Following Victoria’s tragic death, we completed a review and have made changes to improve our services.
“We will respond to the coroner’s report and take action to continue to improve and provide high-quality care to the people in our communities.”
