Nationwide — Anette Trotman, a Black woman from London whose daughter, Diana Grant, stabbed her three times during a mental health crisis, says she holds no anger toward her daughter and blames the system for failing to provide the help Diana desperately needed.
Grant, 42, from London, had schizophrenia and was under mental health care for two decades, according to My London. Despite her struggles, she built a life, studying business, working as a chef, and managing a car valeting business. But when her condition worsened, the support she needed never came.
In mid-November, Trotman noticed signs of relapse. She contacted the Community Mental Health Team and took Diana to a clinic, but no one assessed her. Hours later, Diana attacked her mother with a knife, stabbing her in the chest and stomach.
Trotman called the police, expecting medical intervention. Instead, officers arrested Diana for attempted murder. She was taken to a hospital, then to a police station, and later appeared in court. She was remanded to HMP Bronzefield, a women’s prison in Surrey.
Despite court warnings about her mental state, no mental health support plan was created at the prison. Diana was found dead in her cell the next morning. An investigation revealed several missed chances by both health services and the justice system to intervene.
Trotman said, “I have never once felt anger towards Diana or blamed her for attacking me. That was not her, she was not in control of herself. It was a shocking catalogue of failings by state services that failed her completely when she needed their help at a point of crisis. I am truly devastated by her passing.”
She hopes Diana’s death sparks changes in how mental health crises are handled, especially for those already in care.