'It's quite ridiculous and I'm so sorry' coroner tells Sussex family of dead TikTok star as inquest's conclusion adjourned

The apology came as senior coroner Penelope Schofield once again told the family – which has been waiting for an inquest since Imogen died on January 1 2023 – that the case would not resume until May, since the court could not secure a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter after the original choice pulled out last week.

News of the postponement first emerged on Monday (March 24) – and Ms Schofield told the family she wanted to guarantee a BSL interpreter for the inquest’s return later this year before the end of today’s session.

Sadly, this did not happen – and the family still don’t know if they will face yet another postponement when court resumes on May 20.

“I will assure you my office won’t rest until we’ve got interpreters in place for the hearing,” Mrs Schofield said. “It’s with the deepest regret that this case has been adjourned. We can’t have other families going through this, it’s quite ridiculous, and I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through this.”

in response, Imogen’s family has called for ‘urgent action’ to ensure no other family has to experience their grief.

“We welcome the coroner taking the highly unusual step of issuing a PFD report during the inquest to highlight the chronic lack of availability of BSL interpreters," Imogen’s mother – Louise – said. “The coroner has rightly recognised that without a BSL interpreter, it would not be possible for the deaf witnesses to give their evidence to the inquest.

“Immy’s first language was BSL and sadly this is an issue she faced on countless occasions, including when trying to engage with the services meant to support her. To be in the position where there is no option but to adjourn the inquest into her death as a result of the same issue is hugely upsetting and disappointing to us.

“We are now calling for urgent action in response to the coroner’s concerns, so that no other family has to have their loved one’s inquest disrupted in this way in future.”

Imogen – known to friends and family as Immy – died in Brighton on New Year’s Day, aged 25. Her death has been linked to a murder trial involving a Canadian chef, who is accused of supplying chemicals to people around the world who have ended their lives.

Imogen amassed more than 780,000 followers on social media, where she put a ‘positive spin’ on her mental health and hearing issues to raise awareness, the inquest previously heard.

But her internet persona hid her real-life turmoil. The inquest heard that Imogen, in 2018, had previously been detained under the mental health act and, in 2022, had mentioned to a support worker at the Deaf Adult Community Team (DACT) at South West London and St George’s NHS Trust that she planned to take her own life.

The inquest heard that a welfare check was subsequently made by Sussex Police, but Imogen’s parents – originally from Bognor Regis – said they did so without a BSL interpreter, and that mental health professionals did not meet with her for several weeks afterwards.