A Shantou court has ordered a hospital to take partial responsibility for a mental patient's suicide in a decision neither the hospital nor the patient's family approves.

The family of Chen Huayu, a 16-year-old girl, committed her to the Shantou No 4 People's Hospital on December 31, 2001, reports Shantou Metropolis News.

Chen hanged herself in a toilet stall by the sleeve of an undergarment she had been wearing on January 18, 2002. Although a nurse discovered her shortly afterwards, resuscitation efforts were not successful.

Chen's family sued the hospital for damages of 620,000 yuan (US$74,600), citing mistakes in the diagnosis of her ailment and management loopholes.

The hospital, meanwhile, argued that all reasonable measures had been taken to care for her during her stay and to revive her after the incident.

After all, the nurses could not have followed the girl into the toilet stall, said the lawyer representing the hospital.

The court found no fault with the hospital's diagnosis but did rule that it was responsible for a patient's suicide nevertheless.

The hospital was ordered to pay compensation of about 100,000 yuan (US$12,081).
Both Chen's family and the hospital called the verdict "unfair", and both have vowed to file an appeal.

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