A DISTRAUGHT mother has slammed authorities who “failed” her autistic daughter before she jumped out of a car on the M5 and died.
Tamzin Hall, 17, from Wellington, Somerset, fled a police car despite being handcuffed with an officer sat beside her.
Distraught mother, Amy Hall, has slammed authorities who “failed” her daughter[/caption]
Tamzin sustained fatal injuries when she was struck by a car on the M5 between Taunton and Bridgewater in November 2024.
Her social workers had called police and she was arrested for assault and criminal damage before the tragedy unfolded.
Tamzin was in the rear passenger side of a police car and managed to remove her handcuffs, climb into the front passenger seat and get out of vehicle.
It came after the car had pulled over due to “safety reasons”, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
When the car pulled over on the northbound side of the M5, she managed to escape the car and flee across the motorway.
She was struck by a car on the southbound carriageway and pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, her mother, Amy Hall, has spoken out and slammed authorities who “desperately failed” her daughter.
“She never got the right help. She never got listened to,” she said.
Due to Tamzin’s high-risk behaviour, Amy questioned why she was being transported into custody in a police car rather than a van.
She said: “My question is – how did she manage to get out of the handcuffs and out of the car with two police officers?”
Amy described her daughter as “beautiful and caring” with a great sense of humour and a love for cooking and birds.
Tamzin had also been diagnosed with autism and suffered from mental health issues.
Her father died from cancer when she was just eight years old which was “really difficult on the children”.
According to Amy, it affected her daughter at school and she was often sent out of the classroom.
Tamzin died after being struck by a vehicle on the M5[/caption]
Tamzin’s behaviour escalated to the point her mum knew she needed help and she was “taken away” and sent to a care home.
But according to Amy, care for Tamzin was “not the right way” and “completely not the environment for her”.
“She missed home, she missed me. She used to say, ‘I know why I can’t be at home, my behaviour is scary sometimes for other children.
“It was such a difficult situation to be in as a parent. But the professional side of things – that’s what she needed and that’s what she never got.”
Amy also revealed her daughter had been acting “very strange” on the day that she died.
“I sent numerous messages to staff that day, saying I have real concerns but I felt they were ignored,” she said.
“She got agitated, she’d been drinking. She wanted to go out and she wasn’t allowed to go out, that’s all I know.
“Did they always need to call the police? I wasn’t there but sometimes I think the way they handled talking to her would make a situation worse.”
Tamzin was known to the police and was “extremely impulsive” and you “always had to take her safety into consideration”.
The IOPC said it has served two officers with misconduct notices for a “potential breach of their duties and responsibilities”.
Amy said she will “never get over” her daughter’s death and “keeps going” for the sake of her children.
“But sometimes you just want to collapse in a heap and give up. It’s silly things like ‘I must tell Tamzin this’. When she turns 21, i think – I’m not going to see that. Would she ever have gotten married?
“I’m still trying to learn to live with it and not having any answers makes me angry.”
Avon and Somerset Police said it had referred the incident to the IOPC but could not speculate on their findings.
The force said in a statement that its thoughts “remain with Tamzin Hall’s family”.
“It’s clear how loved she was and how much she is dearly missed by those who knew her,” the statement continued.
“We are committed to being open and transparent about what happened and we have said from the outset that we will do whatever we can to assist the IOPC’s enquiries.
“We are also mindful of the welfare of our officers who were at the scene at the time of Tamzin’s death.
“We are ensuring their welfare is considered and they receive the necessary support during the course of this investigation.”
A spokesperson on behalf of Somerset Council, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and young people’s care charity Homes2Inspire – organisations involved in Tamzin’s care – said: “Our thoughts remain with Amy, Tamzin’s family, and all those affected by this devastating incident.
“We are supporting the IOPC investigation into the circumstances leading up to Tamzin’s tragic death and do not want to prejudice this process by commenting further at this time.”
