Inquiry launched into 2020 River Leven tragedy
The Crown Office has initiated formal court proceedings for a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the death of Karen Murphy, a 53-year-old woman from West Dunbartonshire who died by drowning in the River Leven on 9 February 2020. The First Notice has been lodged and a Preliminary Hearing is scheduled for 1 September 2026 at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
The FAI will consider the circumstances surrounding Ms Murphy’s death, including how her care was planned and managed while she was an inpatient, the events leading to her absconsion from the McNair ward at Gartnavel Royal Hospital on 13 January 2020, and the way Police Scotland handled a telephone call she made that same day and the subsequent search after she left hospital.
Scope and public interest
The Crown Office has stated that the case raises issues of serious public concern. Fatal Accident Inquiries are held in Scotland to establish the facts of sudden, unexpected or unexplained deaths in order to identify any lessons that might prevent similar incidents in future. They are inquisitorial rather than adversarial and focus on what happened and whether any precautions could reasonably have been taken, rather than attributing civil or criminal liability.
“The Lord Advocate considers that the tragic death of Karen Murphy occurred in circumstances giving rise to serious public concern and as such a discretionary Fatal Accident Inquiry should be held. The lodging of the First Notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the Sheriff. Karen’s family will continue to be kept informed of significant developments as court proceedings progress.”
With the First Notice lodged, the case will now come under the direction of a sheriff, who will determine the precise scope of evidence to be heard at inquiry and set future procedural dates beyond the initial hearing.
Key dates and focus areas
| Event | Date | Location/Body |
|---|---|---|
| Absconsion from McNair ward | 13 Jan 2020 | Gartnavel Royal Hospital |
| Death by drowning | 9 Feb 2020 | River Leven |
| Preliminary Hearing | 1 Sep 2026 | Glasgow Sheriff Court |
According to the Crown Office, the inquiry will consider three principal elements:
- The circumstances of Ms Murphy’s death.
- The adequacy of care planning and management while she was an inpatient.
- The police response to her telephone call on 13 January 2020 and the subsequent search following her departure from hospital.
Local context and accountability
The River Leven, which runs through West Dunbartonshire between Loch Lomond and the River Clyde, has been the setting for a number of water-related incidents over the years, underscoring the importance of coordinated emergency responses. While the inquiry will not assign blame in a legal sense, it may produce recommendations aimed at improving healthcare protocols, patient risk assessment and observation measures, communication between NHS services and Police Scotland, and procedures governing missing person searches.
FAIs often scrutinise record-keeping, staffing levels and escalation policies within clinical settings. In parallel, police engagement with vulnerable callers and inter-agency information sharing can come under detailed examination. Any determination by the sheriff may set out findings on the cause of death, any reasonable precautions that might have avoided it, and any defects in systems of work that contributed, together with recommendations for relevant agencies.
Next steps for the community
At this stage, the Crown Office has confirmed that Ms Murphy’s family will be kept updated as proceedings progress. The preliminary hearing in September 2026 will deal with procedural matters such as the identification of witnesses and documentary evidence, with the full inquiry to follow on dates set by the court. Residents with an interest in the case should note that FAI hearings are generally held in public, subject to any restrictions imposed by the sheriff.
InfoRadar will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as the court timetable is confirmed and further details of the inquiry’s scope emerge.
