Mum fears failings in son's mental health care mirror Calocane case

The mother of a 30-year-old man suffering from severe mental illness has expressed alarm over the similarities between her son's case and that of Valdo Calocane, the Nottingham triple killer. Diagnosed with depressive psychosis, her son has exhibited increasing violence as his mental health has worsened. The Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which also cared for Calocane, has stated it will address any concerns raised by the family regarding the patient's care. Calocane, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, was sectioned multiple times before committing the fatal stabbings of University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, along with school caretaker Ian Coates, in June 2023. The mother of the affected man revealed that her son was under a Community Treatment Order (CTO), which required a nurse to visit monthly to ensure he took his medication. However, he often refused entry, leading to unopened medication boxes accumulating in his home. The mother described the support her son received as "piecemeal" and lamented the lack of communication from the trust regarding their concerns. She noted that her son’s aggressive behavior and troubling statements were manifestations of his mental illness, not his true self. In response to her complaints, the trust acknowledged the need for an investigation but emphasized that specific details about her son's care could not be disclosed without his consent. The trust reiterated its commitment to addressing concerns and ensuring families feel confident in the care provided, while also acknowledging that critical risk factors in Calocane's case had been overlooked, including his refusal to take medication and his violent tendencies.