The mother of a 36-year-old mum, who has died after battling years of mental illness and alcohol abuse, is calling for a change in emergency services’ protocol.

Alison Stevenson, 68, of Church Path, Deal, found her daughter, Karoline Valleton de Boissiere, known as Kaz, in her bedroom on the morning of Sunday, May 1.

A post-mortem examination result was inconclusive but her family believe it was not suicide.

Kaz, who was born Caroline White and later changed her name by deed poll, suffered with mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, since she was 12.

She was evicted from her home and moved in with her mother two weeks before she died.

Retired nurse Mrs Stevenson noticed her daughter would go out running on good days but on others she would drink excessively.

Mrs Stevenson had made several attempts to get help for her but because Kaz would often refuse it, nothing was done.

She is now determined to change the way emergency services deal with mental health and addiction to avoid others suffering her heartache.

She said: “It felt like my child was hanging off a cliff and I was barely holding her there. It’s wrong to ignore them. That’s why we want to change things.

“I think there are times when you have to do something, whether the person likes it or not.”

Kaz confided that her mind was in constant turmoil.

Her mum added: “I was trying everything. I phoned the doctor’s surgery and they said to call an ambulance but when I did they didn’t take her because she refused.

“She was not of a sound mind to make an informed decision.

"It felt like my child was hanging off a cliff and I was barely holding her there. It’s wrong to ignore them. That’s why we want to change things" - Kaz's mum Alison Stevenson

“People should recognise that somebody is trying to self destruct. There should be a right to help them and to stop them killing themselves. So many have died in this way.”

Mrs Stevenson feels her daughter should have been sectioned.

“They might have been able to save her if she had been sectioned,” she said.

She called an ambulance for her daughter on Thursday, April 28, but she was not taken to hospital because she refused help.

That afternoon Kaz was picked up by the police and the ambulance service from underneath Deal Pier. She had been seen on the town’s CCTV cameras drinking a bottle of wine. She was taken home, but not to hospital for help.

The former Astor College pupil was mother to nine year-old twins Samara and Danika Whiting, who live with their father.

She had worked as a carer at St Anselm’s Nursing Home in Walmer. She was described as a “very clever girl” and enjoyed painting and running.

She had taken part in Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK. Her latest aspiration was to become a reporter.

MP Charlie Elphicke said: “I have been concerned about mental health crisis care for a long time and this is why I have held round tables with the mental health trust and Deal’s Talk It Out community group, to see what improvements can be made.

“I’m terribly disturbed to hear the tragedy that befell Kaz and I would urge her mother to get in touch so I can make the case for improvements.

"It’s so important that we look after the most vulnerable in our communities.”

A South East Coast Ambulance spokesperson said: “We are very sorry to hear of Mrs Stevenson’s loss and our thoughts are with her at this difficult time.

"Clinical decisions made at the scene of any incident will depend on a variety of factors. We would be happy to look into this matter further if Mrs Stevenson wishes to contact our patient experience team directly.”

If you have experienced a similar situation with the ambulance service, tell them here.

Do you have a story about how the emergency services deal with mental health? Tell us by emailing mercurynews@thekmgroup.co.uk or call 01304 365526.

If you think you may be suffering from depression, consult your GP in the first instance. For information on mental health issues, visit www.mind.org.uk