By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
IN the end, the thousands of state dollars put towards protecting Jesse Duncan-McGann’s life in disability care didn’t count for enough.
Jesse choked to death in 2008 at 19 years of age, after eating while unsupervised at Peninsula Access and Training Centre in Langwarrin.
In 2010 coroner Peter White found that on the day Jesse choked, he appeared to be happy and in good health.
He ate his lunch while supervised but then later returned to the meals room. While staff were distracted by other clients, Jesse obtained food which he hurriedly ate alone.
The coroner found he did not properly chew his food and choked as a result.
Jesse was found lying unconscious on the floor and was resuscitated by paramedics, but two days later his life support was turned off.
The Duncan-McGann family from Cranbourne cared for Jesse on weekends and after hours and Jesse’s mother Deborah has since spoken of her anguish, pleading for improved training services for disability carers.
Jesse’s grandmother, Anita Duncan had worked in disability care for most of her life and now older brother Matthew McGann does too.
Struggling to hold back tears, Matthew told the News why he must keep Jesse’s legacy alive.
Jesse was severely autistic and suffered with Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit disorder and required 24/7 care.
“Jesse was one of the most highly government funded clients in Victoria at the time,” Matthew said.
“Jesse had no awareness of danger.”
Jesse had attended the centre for one and a half years, but six months before his death his level of care had been reduced from one-on-one, full-time care.
His family said they were not informed that his level of supervision had been changed.
Anita Duncan said the centre had received extra funding from the government to provide one-on-one care for Jesse, but the family later found out it had stopped because Jesse had shown good behaviour.
The coroner found that failure to ensure direct supervision of Jesse led to an increased risk of injury and contributed to his death.
After Jesse’s tragic death, Matthew fought depression and even suicide.
“I actually shut my heart down – losing Jesse was pretty tough on me,” he said.
Matthew has worked in the field since 2013, starting out in disability day care in Cranbourne. He says abuse in different forms and levels still occurs.
Matthew told the News he supported Forget Me Not Foundation founder, Janine Greening’s call for a Royal Commission into abuse in disability care, “100 per cent”.
“Something needs to be done, there needs to be more awareness around these types of situations (in care) for other families,” Matthew said.
“People need to understand that this is actually going on, places use training shortcuts.
“I don’t blame anyone for Jesse’s death, I blame the system that didn’t consider the lives the staff were looking after.
“Anything that can help save lives in care needs to be looked at – maybe Jesse’s life and his testimony can help to save another life.
“And to be a voice for Jesse is an honour.”
