POLICE are investigating the death of teenager Connor Sparrowhawk, who died in the bath at a Headington NHS facility last year.

Thames Valley Police is looking into whether the 18-year-old died from corporate manslaughter or manslaughter by gross negligence.

It is believed the Headington resident drowned in the bath at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Slade House after an epileptic fit on July 4, 2013.

The investigation was revealed during a hearing at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court yesterday, to consider the scope of an inquest into the death.

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Coroner Darren Salter said Connor did not die of natural causes but said: “There is an ongoing police investigation so we need to exercise some caution as to what is dealt with in this hearing.”

The court was told that the Health and Safety Executive was involved in the investigation into the death at the Horspath Driftway facility, which is closed to admissions.

Police spokesman James Williams said: “The police officers involved in the case are continuing to keep Connor’s family updated.”

Lawyers for Connor’s family and the trust attended the pre-inquest review, which discussed what evidence and issues should be raised at the full inquest and whether it should have a jury.

Mr Salter said: “This is a very sad case. What I am really concerned about are matters that caused or contributed to Connor’s death.”

He will take up to two weeks to decide when the next pre-inquest review will be and said this could be as late as April next year.

The teenager’s mother Sara Ryan attended the hearing at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court together with stepfather Richard Huggins.

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  • Sara Ryan

The family raised £25,000 for legal representation and she said they were “extremely frustrated” the process could take so long.

Ms Ryan said: “We’ve waited 17 months to get here and it’s crazy to think that it could be another five months for the next stage, and that’s not even the inquest. It seems an unncecessarily lengthy process. It’s inhumane.”

The family will next month run an ‘advent calender’ of events to remember Connor and to support their campaign for justice.

Ms Ryan said: “It will be a series of celebratory Christmas events.

“We can’t give too much away, but we’ll have Santa’s grotto, home videos of Connor, and we want to catch up with some of the people from previous events.”


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