Connor lived with epilepsy, autistic and had learning disabilities. He was also very funny. Three years ago, aged 18, Connor drowned in a bath at Slade House, a residential unit run by Southern Health, an NHS foundation trust. His parents had brought him there a few months before, after he became aggressive and violent, and they found themselves unable to cope. “It felt as if we were buying a bit of time for everyone, including Connor,” Richard says. “These guys were professionals, Connor would get some support. We thought it was a terrible thing to have to do, but it was fair. Within a few days we thought the place wasn’t very good. But we never, ever thought he wouldn’t come out.”
