Mother wants to know how son died at NZ Psych Hospital

As seen in this report

Clement Matthews' mother wants the police to get to the truth about his death in Kingseat mental hospital 36 years ago. Rebecca Matthews, 63, said yesterday that she first learned of the police re-opening their investigation into the 1968 death of 11-year-old Clement in last week's Weekend Herald.

While investigating some of the flood of complaints over treatment of ex-patients of former mental hospitals, the newspaper found that the police were looking again at Clement's case after another former Kingseat patient, Stephen Lindsay, said he saw a male nurse kick him in the back. Ms Matthews, who has 17 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and works in a car-polish factory, wants to speak to the police.

Ex-patients who were put into mental hospitals in the 1960s and 1970s have continued to come forward this week alleging mistreatment. They follow nearly 200 people, mostly aged 8 to 16 at the time of hospital treatment, who have lodged complaints with Wellington lawyers whose request for an inquiry is being considered by the Government. Their allegations include beatings and sexual assault by staff and patients, inappropriate use of electric-shock therapy and drugs such as paraldehyde as punishment, and excessive use of other drugs and solitary confinement. The claims initially centred on Porirua Hospital but now encompass most of the former asylums, including Oakley, Kingseat, Tokanui and Lake Alice hospitals.

See also this report: Abuse inquiries flow in

There has been a steady stream of inquiries from former employees and patients over abuse allegations at psychiatric hospitals. Almost 200 official complaints have been made by people who allege they were physically and sexually abused in state mental health hospitals in the 1960s and 1970s. Wellington lawyer Roger Chapman says recent publicity about the litigation has encouraged more people to come forward. He says it seems like an indication that abuse happened quite a bit in New Zealand's psychiatric hospitals in the past. However Mr Chapman says it is likely the majority of patients in psychiatric care were treated well by the psychiatric standards of the day. Lawyers are poring over the claims and inquiries. The abuse allegations include electric shock therapy, solitary confinement and the misuse of medication to keep people quiet. Mr Chapman says the allegations vary from hospital to hospital.

Sound like the standards of the day are horrific.

See also this report: Abuse complaints mount against psychiatric hospital