A mother has spoken of her distress at the thought that "some sick person" was at the scene of the tragic death of her 27-year-old daughter.

Emily Hemingway, who had a history of mental illness and self-harm, was found on the bank of the River Cleddau, near Haverfordwest Priory, in September 2020.

She had been discharged from a psychiatric ward only five days earlier.

During her time on the ward, she told staff she had "a stash" of pills with which she could take her own life.

The inquest into Emily’s death was opened on Thursday.

Coroner Paul Bennett was told that she was a ‘brilliant, bright and intelligent’ girl, dearly-loved by her family and friends, and whose mental health had declined since she was 16.

On the inquest’s second day, Friday July 12, Emily’s mother, Wendy Hemingway, expressed concern over the position of her daughter’s body when it was found.

Witnesses told police that she was lying face down with her arms outstretched in front of her and what appeared to be a white T-shirt over her head. However, the pathologist’s report indicated that death had occurred while she was lying on her back.

The first police officer at the scene had turned Emily from her front to her back to administer CPR and had attempted to ‘preserve her dignity’ by pulling up her shorts which had been exposing her bottom.

“It’s clear to me that that’s how she was, with her dress pulled up and her pants pulled down,” Mrs Hemingway told the inquest.

“She was moved after her death and it seems that her clothes were deliberately disarrayed.

“Somebody did it, some sick person or persons did that to my daughter’s dead body.

“It distresses me more than I can tell you.”

Mrs Hemingway also queried why Emily’s mobile phone was not found at the scene. “Her music was like oxygen to her, so there must be a reason why her phone was missing,” she said.

There was also a question mark over why Emily’s suicide note, addressed to her mum, was dry when it was found on a rock nearby, despite there having been heavy rain overnight.

Earlier, the inquest heard from consultant psychiatrist Dr Laurence Mynors-Wallis, who had complied a 43-page report on Emily’s mental health and treatment from evidence submitted.

He agreed with Emily’s diagnosis of "emotionally unstable personality disorder" and said her problem was "serious and severe" and that she had "an ongoing risk of suicide".

During her time in hospital, Emily repeatedly said she wanted to die and had a stash of pills to take an overdose.

Prior to her discharge it was reported that she was calmer and reported feeling safer.

The information about the pills was not put in the updated risk assessment and Mrs Hemingway was not informed that Emily had them because of patient confidentiality.

“If I had known about the pills I would not have left her alone in her flat,” Mrs Hemingway said. “I had already felt uneasy about her state of mind – she had had enough and had given up.”

Dr Mynors-Wallis said that possession of the means of suicide was often viewed as a ‘safety net’.

“If the medication wasn’t there, there would be other methods,” he said.

The inquest heard that Emily’s mental health team had previously removed razors from her property but she ordered more in the post.

Police said in evidence that at the time of Emily’s death the possibility of third-party involvement had not been investigated.

Coroner Paul Bennett described the case as ‘tragic’ and regretted he felt it necessary to adjourn it to a date to be fixed.

He commented: “Further disclosures are needed, including police evidence and pathology which are relevant to the conclusion.”

  • If you are affected by any issues raised in this article, Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.