Man found dead in River Medway Daniel Streeton 'let down after leaving prison' says his mum
06:00, 01 January 2020
The mother of a man whose body was found in the River Medway says he was let down after leaving prison.
Kim Streeton’s son Daniel was pulled from the water on September 5 at the marina by Medway Bridge after being discovered by a yacht owner.
An inquest, which opened on Christmas Eve, gave the cause of death as traumatic brain injury from a fractured skull following alcohol and drugs misuse.
The 32-year-old, of Stanhope Close, Swanscombe, was last seen on Sunday, September 1, heading for Swanscombe High Street.
Now, his mother, of Winchester Road, Tonbridge, has criticised probation and outreach services for offering him “minimal support”.
The 57-year-old said her son, who served six years in prison for an arson attack on her home in 2012, was a “smart and funny man, but had his issues”.
During his trial in January 2013, it was revealed he was so dependant on alcohol that taking him off it would result in seizures.
'I fail to understand how we can let people suffer before helping them,' mum Kim Streeton
Mrs Streeton said: “He struggled with marijuana and alcohol, which made him volatile.
“He was released in July and was given the condition not to come to my home to keep me safe, but I was with him most days looking after him, getting his food and medication sorted.
“He was put in Swanscombe with minimal support from probation or outreach services. Myself and Daniel’s sister tried continuously to get help for him.
“Probation seemed to view him as a nuisance. Before he was sent to Swanscombe he was in Chatham but was beaten up quite bad.
“I fail to understand how we can let people suffer before helping them.
“Even before the fire at my home we begged for help and said he needed medical attention.
Mrs Streeton said her son Daniel was a “lonely, lost soul who was allowed to fall through all the cracks”.
“This should never have happened. It’s a complete waste of a life,” she added.
It was not revealed at the inquest how Daniel came to be in the water, but a full hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 4.
Chief executive of Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, Helen Greatorex, said: “We are truly saddened to hear of the death of Mr Streeton and our most sincere condolences are with his family and his friends.
“In instances where someone who has died has been known to our services, we work closely with Her Majesty’s Coroner as well as the person’s family to ensure all the questions people have are answered.
“It would therefore be inappropriate for us to make any comment in advance of the completion of the full inquest in March.”
