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By Jamie Roberton

A 12-year-old girl was suffering from an undiagnosed rare brain condition when she was able to fatally harm herself inside an NHS children’s psychiatric unit, a jury has found.

Mia Lucas, described as “full of light and joy”, died after being found unresponsive in her room at the Becton Centre in Sheffield on 29 January 2024.

She had been sectioned after experiencing a severity of psychosis described as “extraordinary” in her age group.

Medical tests following Mia’s death revealed that the schoolgirl had autoimmune encephalitis, a physical disorder resulting in brain inflammation that can cause extreme psychiatric symptoms.

The jury broke down in tears at some of the evidence heard during the 10-day inquest, finding unanimously that Mia had been let down by the N

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