Suicide victim was under treatment for depression — (The Tampa Tribune)

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SUMMARY: The family of a 15-year-old suicide victim questions the effectiveness of mental health care the boy received in the past few weeks.

HUDSON — A Hudson High School student being treated for depression committed suicide, according to sheriff’s reports.   A passer-by found Casey B. Lisowski, 15, of 17547 Monteverde Drive in Shady Hills about 5:50 a.m. Tuesday off Shady Hills Road and Crews Lake Drive, reports said.   The boy was inside the family’s 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle with the motor running. A homemade hose led from the exhaust pipe to the car’s interior, reports said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lisowski’s older brother, Phillip Adams, 21, of Hudson expressed frustration with the mental health services offered to his brother.  Earlier this year, Lisowski spent three days at the Harbor Behavioral Health Care Center after his family had him sent there under the Baker Act, Adams said.

Then, a month ago, Lisowski tried to commit suicide by taking an overdose of prescription medication, his brother said. Another three-day stint — again via the Baker Act — followed at the Harbor.  “We all felt it was too soon to let him out,” Adams said.  Administrators at the Harbor couldn’t be reached Wednesday for comment.

After Lisowski was released, the staff advised him to see a psychiatrist once a week and continue taking Zoloft, a prescription anti-depressant, Adams said.

Lisowski was having problems with classmates, Adams said. The teen was suspended three days last week for fighting. Although his family knew he was having problems, Lisowski wouldn’t confide in any of his brothers, Adams said.  He described Lisowski, a 10th-grader, as a “pretty athletic” teen who enjoyed swimming and playing video games.   “He was just an all-around average kid,” Adams said.

The Hudson High School “crisis team” was on hand Tuesday to meet with students, guidance counselor John Metzger said. Counselors also met Wednesday with students as needed.

Record Number:  149