Kim O'Donovan telephoned Newtown House once after she absconded and told a staff member she was fine but was not coming back, the High Court heard yesterday.
It was her last phone call to the unit before she was found dead from a heroin overdose two weeks later.
Ms Elizabeth Cleary, who took the call at about 11.10 p.m. on August 10th, 2000, wept yesterday as she gave details of the call from the 15-year-old, who had absconded from Newtown House on July 28th. Her last words to the girl were: "Please take care of yourself." Kim O'Donovan had replied: "Liz, there's nothing wrong with me."
Kim O'Donovan had sounded normal and cheerful during the call. She had said she was phoning to say hello, that she was OK and that she was staying in a bed-and-breakfast being paid for by someone she refused to name. She said she was not taking drugs and was not smoking.
She told Ms Cleary that she was not coming back to Newtown House. She said she had been stopped by gardai twice and had been chased by a garda when he recognised her. She also said she would call again.
Yesterday was the fourth day of the inquiry, ordered by Mr Justice Kelly, into the circumstances under which Kim O'Donovan, who was in the care of the East Coast Area Health Board at Newtown House, absconded on July 28th, 2000, and what steps were taken to find her before she was found dead in a B & B at Talbot Street, Dublin, on August 24th, 2000.
In her evidence Ms Cleary said Kim O'Donovan appeared to have blossomed in her last six months at Newtown House. She had been aware of a plan to allow her to work part-time and thought it a good idea. There were plans for her discharge in September 2000.
She learned that Kim O'Donovan had absconded at 6.50 p.m. on July 28th, 2000, when she phoned the nursing home where the girl was working to confirm that she would be collected at 8 p.m.
She was told Kim had gone to cash a cheque at about 3.15 p.m. and had not returned. She asked why Newtown House had not been alerted and was told it had been very busy at the nursing home.
When Kim O'Donovan did not turn up to be collected at 8 p.m., as arranged, Garda stations were alerted and given photographs and descriptions of her. The after-hours social-work service and the girl's mother were also contacted.
Ms Joan McGrath, principal of Newtown House School, said Kim O'Donovan had attended the school from October 1998. She had been disruptive initially, but had settled down by the end of first term. She had been talented at art and music and had enjoyed drama. However, she had low self-esteem, and staff had to keep her motivated.
The inquiry will resume next Tuesday.
