The HSE has admitted liability and apologised for the care received by a new mother who later took her own life and that of her baby.

Thirty-four-year-old Nicola Keane was suffering from postpartum psychosis when she and her seventh month old son Henry died in October 2020 in Lucan, Dublin.

Her husband, Darren Coleman, said he would have taken time off work to care for his wife and son if he'd known the severity of her situation and her delusional beliefs.

His barrister told the High Court something like this could happen again, if post-natal depression is not taken more seriously in Ireland. 

Speaking outside the court, Darren Coleman said the mental health system is broken. 

“Nichola had postpartum psychosis after our son Henry’s birth,” he said. 

“She never hid her illness from her medical team who treated her; she repeatedly told them she wasn’t getting better and spoke about the concerning thoughts she had.” 

Mr Coleman also described his son as a “beautiful” baby who was “inquisitive about the world” around him.

Main image: A general view of the exterior of the Four Courts in Dublin city centre, which houses the High Court and the Supreme Court and civil cases. Photo: Alamy.com