The heartbroken mother of a 12-year-old child who died by suicide has launched a High Court case against the HSE and St John of God community services.
Jannah Shahzad Browne from Tallaght, south Dublin, was found dead in the bedroom of her home by her mother on April 3, 2025.
She had suffered mental health problems for a number of years prior to her tragic death, and her mother had taken her to a GP twice to have her referred for treatment with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs).
Correspondence, seen by the Irish Examiner, includes a letter by a GP when Jannah was nine years old, saying the case was urgent.
However, a letter from Camhs said she did not meet the criteria for assessment.
Lawyers Lavelle Partners, acting for Jannah’s mother Katrina Browne, have lodged a personal injuries case against St John of God’s community services as well as the HSE’s national council for special education.
Ms Browne said: “Jannah was everything to me. She woke me every morning for school, and by God was she beautiful to me, every day.
“But we needed help for her mental health. My child needed help, a help which was denied by every aspect of the system,” Ms Browne said.
“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.”
Ms Browne said she will always remember her daughter’s beauty, but the final image of finding her daughter dead in her bedroom will haunt her forever.
“My whole family is traumatised for life over the tragic death of our queen, our youngest child.
“I hoped and prayed something would change after Jannah’s death, but unfortunately the assessment (waiting list) is even longer.”
“Today, sadly, hundreds if not thousands still wait for mental health support and diagnosis. This is soul destroying that there are no lessons learned.
“Jannah deserved to be seen and she wasn’t.
“Since her death nothing has changed. I only hope that some awareness is brought that urgent services are required and that this is life and death for many children across Ireland.”
Jannah was a sixth-class pupil at St Thomas SNS in Jobstown and a camogie player with St Marks GAA.
Following her death on April 3, Katrina shared an emotional message on Facebook saying she couldn’t understand how much her child was “suffering inside”.
“All she did was smile and joke and dance and sing and play sports with me and try to make us happy.”
She then encouraged parents not to be afraid to speak openly about mental health to their children and always ask them the “hard questions.”
In a statement, the HSE said: “We were saddened to hear of this young person’s death by suicide, and we would like to offer our condolences to this family at this difficult time.
“The HSE cannot comment on individual cases or care.
“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.”
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