Six months on from the fatal stabbing of 83-year-old Faye Phelps by a mental health patient, her family is urgently seeking answers regarding the circumstances that allowed the tragedy to occur. The incident, which happened in October last year in Christchurch's coastal suburb of Mt Pleasant, marks the second time in just over two years that a patient from Hillmorton Hospital was involved in a public killing.
Faye Phelps, a longtime resident of Mt Pleasant overlooking Christchurch, was murdered in her own home by Elliot Cameron, a man who had been working as her gardener for over a decade. Unbeknown to Faye and others employing Cameron, he was a mental health patient who had been living at Hillmorton Hospital, Christchurch’s forensic mental health facility, for several years. Cameron pleaded guilty to the murder in Christchurch's High Court earlier this month; sentencing is scheduled for June.
On the morning of 4 October 2023, Faye sent her usual email to Cameron advising of the day’s gardening conditions. Later that day, Cameron arrived at her property where the murder took place. Faye’s body was only discovered three days later by Aaron, the lawnmower man who had been maintaining her neighbours’ gardens. Aaron described the discovery as shocking and distressing, recalling his frantic attempts to call for help while in a state of shock.
Faye’s daughter, Karen Phelps, who also employed Cameron for gardening work, described the gardener as a “very hard worker”, though she acknowledged he was “a bit different” and sometimes left gardens untidy or over-trimmed plants. Karen stressed that there were never any indications of violent behaviour and that her mother, who was security conscious, felt safe enough to have Cameron working in and around her home.
Karen has expressed profound anger and sorrow over the death of her mother and is determined to understand how someone with such a serious mental health background was allowed to interact with the public in an unsupervised manner. “Mum should have been safe and able to live out her final years in peace... I’m angry and upset that this was allowed to ever happen. It was preventable,” she told RNZ.
Karen questioned why the District Health Board (DHB) allowed Cameron to work in the community without adequate monitoring or support. She believes there should be an independent inquiry to examine whether the support Cameron received was sufficient and to identify any risks that were overlooked. "The best outcome now would be for the DHB to honestly examine what went wrong as quickly as possible... and make the necessary changes – rapidly," she said.
This case has reignited broader concerns about mental health services in Canterbury and New Zealand in general. Nearly three years ago, Zakariye Mohamed Hussein, another patient under Hillmorton’s care and on community leave, was responsible for the fatal stabbing of Laisa Waka Tunidau in Christchurch. Speaking to RNZ, Laisa’s husband Nemani Tunidau expressed frustration at ongoing systemic failures and the lack of answers, stating, "Our life is torn apart," and that the family feels forgotten by authorities.
Health New Zealand (Health NZ) has acknowledged the need for a thorough, independent review of the circumstances surrounding the Phelps case. Martin Keogh, Deputy Chief Executive for Te Waipounamu, explained that while the review is underway and expected to conclude in the coming months, there have been delays due to the complexity of the matter. The findings will be shared with the family. However, Karen remains dissatisfied, noting that four months after meeting with the health officials, little further communication has been received.
At the same time, Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey offered condolences to the Phelps family but refrained from further comment as the matter is before the courts. He also confirmed that a separate investigation into Canterbury District Mental Health Services, launched after the 2022 murder linked to Hillmorton patients, is nearing completion.
Karen Phelps remembers her mother as a loving, kind, and faithful woman dedicated to helping others — qualities that extended to Cameron, whom she liked to support by giving him gardening work. The violent circumstances of Faye’s death have left a lasting impact on the family, describing the experience as a “life sentence” that continues to haunt them.
The tragic death of Faye Phelps has raised critical questions about the management and rehabilitation of mental health patients who interact with the community. The ongoing investigations and reviews aim to provide clarity on whether systemic failings contributed to this avoidable loss and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Source: Noah Wire Services