A heartbroken mother is pursuing legal action against the Health Service Executive (HSE) and St John of God community services following the death of her 12-year-old daughter, Jannah Shahzad Browne. The case, lodged in the High Court, centers on claims that Jannah did not receive adequate mental health support prior to her death in April 2025.
Jannah was found deceased in her bedroom at her home in Tallaght, south Dublin, on April 3, 2025, after a long struggle with mental health challenges. Her mother, Katrina Browne, alleges that repeated attempts to access care through the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs) were unsuccessful, despite documented urgency from her GP. This legal challenge highlights growing concerns about access to timely mental health services for children in Ireland and the potential consequences of delayed or denied care.
According to court documents, Ms. Browne first sought help for Jannah when her daughter was nine years old, with a GP noting the case was “urgent.” However, a subsequent letter from Camhs indicated that Jannah did not meet the criteria for assessment. Ms. Browne continued to advocate for her daughter, seeking assistance twice through her GP, but the necessary support was not provided. Lawyers from Lavelle Partners are representing Ms. Browne in the case, which also names the HSE’s national council for special education as a respondent.
Denied Help and a Mother’s Grief
“Jannah was everything to me. She woke me every morning for school, and by God was she beautiful to me, every day,” Ms. Browne stated, expressing her profound loss. “But we needed help for her mental health. My child needed help, a help which was denied by every aspect of the system.” She described the pain of knowing her daughter’s death might have been preventable, stating, “It angers me so much, it breaks me. For those left behind, suicide comes with a path of terror, shame and guilt, but to know that it was preventable is like a dagger in my chest that twists all day long.”
The family is left grappling with immense trauma. Ms. Browne shared that her entire family is “traumatised for life” by the tragic loss of their “queen, our youngest child.” She expressed disappointment that, despite her daughter’s death, she believes little has changed in the system. “I hoped and prayed something would change after Jannah’s death, but unfortunately the assessment (waiting list) is even longer,” she said. Thousands of children in Ireland currently await mental health support and diagnosis, a situation Ms. Browne described as “soul destroying.”
Growing Concerns Over Mental Health Services
Jannah was a sixth-class student at St Thomas SNS in Jobstown and participated in camogie with St Marks GAA. Following her death, Ms. Browne shared a poignant message on Facebook, expressing her disbelief at the extent of her daughter’s internal suffering, noting that Jannah always presented a cheerful exterior, “smiling and joking and dancing and singing and playing sports.” She urged parents to openly discuss mental health with their children and to ask the difficult questions.
The case comes amid wider concerns about the capacity and accessibility of mental health services for young people in Ireland. Waiting lists for Camhs have been a persistent issue, with reports indicating that thousands of children are currently waiting for assessment and support. This situation raises serious questions about the adequacy of resources and the effectiveness of the current system.
In a statement, the HSE acknowledged the tragedy and offered condolences to the family. However, the organization stated it could not comment on individual cases, citing patient confidentiality. “The HSE cannot comment on individual cases or care,” the statement read. “Even, when a client or family makes personal information public, this does not relieve the HSE or its duty to preserve and uphold client or patient confidentiality at all times.”
What’s Next
This High Court case is expected to shed further light on the challenges facing Camhs and the broader mental health system in Ireland. The outcome could have significant implications for how mental health services are delivered to children and adolescents, and may prompt calls for increased investment and systemic reform. The court will need to determine whether the HSE and St John of God community services fulfilled their duty of care to Jannah, and whether her death was, as her mother contends, a preventable tragedy.
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Disclaimer: This article provides information for general knowledge and informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical or legal advice.
