A young man hooked on heroin at birth because of his mother’s addiction killed himself after being unable to deal with the scars of his early childhood, an inquest heard.

The moment Luke Morris was brought into the world, doctors had to start weaning him off the deadly drug.

Following his mother’s death from an overdose when he was just two years old, he was brought up by loving foster parents.

Luke was described as a ‘pleasant’ and ‘articulate’ young man (Picture: Eugene Henderson)

But despite their care and support he became increasingly plagued by dark thoughts about his past and feelings that he was worthless.


The inquest heard that the 21 year-old battled depression, anxiety and problems with alcohol and drugs for several years.



After seeking help he received counselling and was prescribed anti-depressants, but it wasn’t until later he admitted he heard voices telling him he was ‘a waste of space’.

Chesterfield Coroner’s Court heard the ‘pleasant’ and ‘articulate’ young man was found hanged in a secluded wood after going missing from home.

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After hearing about the tragedy a coroner told Luke’s foster parents there was a real possibility his problems ‘were related to thoughts about his past’.

Luke of South Normanton, Derbyshire, was found in the woodland on January 30 last year after he walked out of home two days earlier saying he was ‘just nipping out’.

The court heard Luke was taken into care after the death of his biological mother but soon found a loving home with foster parents Marie and Paul Morris, who he called mum and dad.

By the end of his time at school, Luke had started to use cannabis and later experimented with cocaine.

The hearing was told he would also regularly binge drink, sometimes consuming a bottle of whisky a day.

In March 2013, he went to see his GP because he was depressed and mentioned self-harm on a number of occasions, but said he had no intention to act on it.

Dr Kathryn Hey described Luke as a ‘lovely chap’, adding: ‘I always got the feeling that he wanted to get better.’

The inquest took place at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court (Picture: Google)

He was prescribed anti-depressants and referred for counselling with the community health team which initially produced some improvements.

But over time his mental health deteriorated again, the court was told.

On one occasion he cut himself and took an overdose after a heavy drinking session which put him in hospital in June 2016.

In November that year, the local mental health services diagnosed Luke as having mixed anxiety and depression as well as unstable personality traits.

The inquest heard he kept the true extent of his problems from professionals trying to help him.

Dr Hey said Luke – a former butcher – ‘was telling his GPs one story and telling the community health team another.’

In one counselling session, he said he thought he was being filmed and that TV programmes were ‘broadcasting his life.’

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In another session, he admitted ‘difficult thoughts’ from his past came to him.



Two weeks before his death he described hearing ‘degrading’ voices in his head which were ‘aggressive and self-critical.’

Within 48 hours, the counsellor had made a referral to the Derbyshire Early Intervention Centre (EIS) which is a specialist service for people who experience psychosis for the first time.

In the referral, Luke was described as ‘very agitated’. The team tried to contact him on two separate numbers, which were both out of service.

They sent a letter making an appointment to see him but by the time it reached his address 10 days later, Luke had been reported missing.

Luke’s foster father Paul told the court: ‘It took too long to refer him. There’s just not enough answers why it took so long.’

Derbyshire Assistant Coroner Peter Nieto told the family there would have been ‘no quick fix.’

He added: ‘The problems Luke had would have required long term treatment.

‘Maybe these related to thoughts about his past, it’s possible this was an issue for him.’

Mr Nieto recorded a verdict of suicide, noting Luke’s ‘mental health and substance misuse problem’.

Although there was no note, the coroner added: ‘I do find it was a deliberate act with a deliberate intention.’

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