Ricky Hampson Jr spent the final hours of his life hunched over a sofa in a friend's living room.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He knelt on the floor, knees against the edge of the sofa and body resting on the seat. The unusual position was the only way he could get relief from pain.
Recalling the final hours of Mr Hampson Jr to a coronial inquest at Dubbo court on Friday, March 1, Marshall Peachey broke into tears.
"I tried to do what I could," he said, dabbing his eyes with a tissue.
Mr Peachey is one of the last people to see the 36-year-old Kamilaroi Dunghutti man - known to family and friends as Dougie - alive.
Mr Hampson Jr had been staying at Mr Peachey's house in the days before a hospital stay which is currently subject of a coronial inquest.
The father-of-eight presented to the emergency room at Dubbo hospital on August 14, 2021, complaining of severe abdominal pain after he felt something "pop" inside him. In the hours he was at the hospital he was wrongly diagnosed, received no scans and was heavily medicated.
He was discharged from hospital about midday the next day, still suffering from pain. Later that afternoon he arrived back at Mr Peachey's house by taxi.
Mr Peachey told the court he had no idea Mr Hampson Jr had been at hospital until he got to the house. Mr Peachey could see he was in pain.
"He was bending over," he told the court.
Mr Hampson Jr explained to Mr Peachey that he was walking to a friend's house and felt a "popping" sensation and collapsed on the ground and blacked out. When he came to, he kept walking to his friend's place and eventually ended up in hospital.
Mr Peachey asked Mr Hampson Jr if the hospital did any scans and he said they didn't.
The pair went into the house and entered the living room.
"He kneeled down in front of the lounge, with his knees in front of the lounge and his body and hands on the seat... he said that was the only way it was less painful," Mr Peachey said.
"The only time he moved from the lounge room was so he could go to the toilet."
That was the last place Mr Peachey saw Mr Hampson alive, at around 3:30am on August 16.
At about midday, Mr Peachey's brother asked him if he had checked on Mr Hampson Jr. Mr Peachey went straight back into the living room only to find he wasn't breathing.
He tried to do CPR on Mr Hampson Jr but it was too late. He had been dead for some time.
Discharged with no phone, no wallet, no transport
On August 15, 2021, Mr Hampson Jr was discharged from hospital despite still being in pain and still having a high heart rate.
He had not been seen by a doctor since the night before when he was misdiagnosed with a cannabis-induced condition. An autopsy would later reveal he had two lacerated ulcers in his stomach and four liters of fluid.
Giving evidence before the inquest on Thursday, February 29, the nurse responsible for his care that morning Maree Trow said it was her understanding he was okay to be discharged and was staying overnight for monitoring.
Although her readings showed he still had a high heart rate and he was still in pain, Ms Trow did not escalate this to the doctor on duty.
She said Mr Hampson Jr told her he was constipated and she assumed his pain was related to that.
"He said 'miss i'm constipated' I said 'would you like me to get something for the constipation' and he said 'yes please'," she told the court.
When she returned to the room Mr Hampson Jr said he was still constipated and asked for something stronger. Ms Trow then went out to the doctor's station and asked Dr Nazeem Aziz if she could get him something for his constipation.
She said she could give Mr Hampson Jr something to help him move his bowels and that he was right for discharge.
"When I returned he was holding his lower abdomen and I asked him if he wanted to stay and see if the medication worked... but he said he just wanted to go home," she told the court.
"I walked him out of the hospital because I was concerned for him."
Ms Trow did not see where Mr Hampson Jr went after he left the hospital, but he did not have a wallet or phone on him at the time. His sister had also informed the hospital she was unable to pick him up.
Asked by counsel assisting the coroner Simmeon Beckket why she hadn't stopped Mr Hampson Jr from leaving the hospital she said she had tried.
"I encouraged him to stay, but he was the one who started walking out of the hospital," Ms Trow replied, beginning to tear up.
"I did say to Ricky that after having the medication he should stay and wait to see if the medication would work... he said it's just constipation so I'm right to go home.
"I have reflected and I have learned lots from there... It is very sad... we are human and we do make errors of judgment."
The inquest into the death of Ricky Hampson Junior will continue at Dubbo court on Monday, March 4.
