Pauline Campbell’s passing at the age of 60 brings to an end the most ardent and vocal struggle in recent memory for the rights of women who are incarcerated.
She died too soon, and the fact that her body was discovered at her daughter’s graveside provides a touching epilogue because it was Sarah, her only child, who passed away in January 2003, who lit the spark for Pauline to carry the torch for the following five years, nonstop and with great bravery.
By her own account, Pauline was leading a typical existence in the Cheshire village of Malpas before Sarah’s passing.
Pauline Campbell’s Died On Her Daughter’s Grave
A coroner has determined that a heartbroken mother who advocated for jail reform following the loss of her daughter killed herself by taking a massive overdose of anti-depressants. At Oakhills Cemetery in Malpas, Cheshire, Pauline Campbell’s body was discovered curled up over the grave of her daughter Sarah.
In May of this year, Pauline Campbell’s body was found curled up on the grave of her daughter Sarah in Oakhills Cemetery in Malpas, Cheshire. In 2003, Sarah, 18, passed away at Styal jail after overdosing on drugs.
After her daughter’s passing, one of six in prison in the previous 12 months, Ms. Campbell, of Market Place, Hampton Heath, Malpas, Cheshire, relentlessly fought for prison reform, including an independent inquiry into care at Styal.
After protesting outside jails each time a female prisoner committed suicide, she was detained 15 times. The 60-year-old had been receiving depression treatment for 30 years and had attempted suicide multiple times.
Sarah Campbell Styal Prison Overdose Story
Sarah Campbell had passed away within a few hours of arriving in Styal Prison in Wilmslow. Despite possessing an above-average IQ, she struggled with depression as a student and dropped out without receiving a diploma.
She started taking heroin, which destroyed her hopes of attending art school. After she and a friend harassed an older man, he suffered a heart attack and died; She received a three-year prison term for manslaughter.
After Sarah died in Styal Prison in Cheshire in 2003 from an anti-depressant overdose, the retired college instructor was inspired to fight for better conditions in women’s prisons.
Miss Campbell, 60, spent years advocating against “inhumane” conditions in women’s jails, blaming the prison system for failing to recognize her daughter’s precarious situation.
Complete Timeline Of Pauline Campbell’s Death
Pauline Campbell was a fierce advocate and a bulwark for individuals the state intentionally neglected. It was simple to overlook that Pauline battled her grief over the loss of her only child, Sarah, daily.
Sadly, she was discovered dead early one morning at her daughter’s cemetery. Pauline, a former college lecturer, experienced a complete upheaval when her daughter unexpectedly passed away in Styal Prison in Cheshire in January 2003.
Sarah was placed in a segregation unit at the prison despite her mental health issues due to a long list of mistakes. To get moved to the hospital wing, she overdosed on prescription medications.
Pauline discussed the flaws in the criminal justice system with her signature passion and authority. She challenged the legislators in attendance to go beyond platitudes and commit funds and resources to meaningful reform.