Terrified West Lothian mum on the run with autistic daughter has 'nowhere to turn'

A scared West Lothian mum who is on the run with her autistic daughter in England has said she has been left with "nowhere to turn".

Shona McIntyre, 43, fled her home with daughter Megan in late June after the 18-year-old was due to be sectioned at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. The mum claims medics wanted to admit the teen, who also has a learning disability, to the facility as she was struggling to eat.

Only hours before she was to be admitted, Shona decided to "protect her daughter" and travelled hundreds of miles south of the border where sections issued in Scotland are revoked, reports the Daily Record.

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The pair are now in hiding as Shona claims that social workers are considering doing an adult assessment of the doting mum which could override her role as Megan's guardian.

Shona fears authorities could track the pair down in England and have Megan taken back to Scotland to be sectioned "against her own will".

Shona told the Record: "We're terrified - we came to England for Megan's safety because she does not belong in a psychiatric hospital, she is not mentally unwell. I have been told that an adult assessment could be done on me, which could essentially discredit me as a parent when I have been trying to protect her.

"If it goes ahead, depending on how they deem me, it could strip me of the guardianship rights I have over Megan.

"I dread to think what would happen to her - she would lose her voice completely. Due to her learning disability, she needs an adult to vocalise her needs.

"I am currently her voice and she tells me that she does not want to be sectioned. They are trying to lock her up against her own will. If they say I am putting her at risk, then they will gain powers to start hunting us down again.

"My fear is they will then come after me in order to get to Megan."

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Shona and Megan are currently residing at an undisclosed location, however, money is running out. The potential adult assessment has left the mum reluctant to reach out for help in case they are tracked down.

She said: "We have been on the go for seven days now but funds are running low. If this continues, I don't know how will we manage financially.

"Thankfully, Megan's health has been fine, but if she becomes unwell, I'm scared in case we need to go to hospital and she will be taken away.

"Every minute of every day has been exhausting and this potential assessment has made it ten times worse. We have nowhere to go and no help to reach out for. We feel trapped."

Shona previously told the Record that she was the one to raise concerns about her daughter's nutritional health after the mum begged doctors to treat her daughter at home. She requested a special feeding tube, which would have allowed her daughter to stay in her community, where she feels safe and happy.

However, the health board refused the tube and issued Megan with a section order instead.

Shona said: "This whole situation could have been avoided if they had just agreed to treat her in the community. Megan is 18 but due to her learning disability, she is still very much a child, she does not belong in an adult psychiatric unit.

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"I know she would struggle and I fear that they would need to use force. It would traumatise her and she would suffer for the rest of her life. I can't return home with her until I know my child my child will be safe."

Tracey Gillies, Executive Medical Director, NHS Lothian, said: “We are unable to comment on individual cases without the consent from patients or their family. We would urge the family to get in contact with us directly.”

A spokesperson for West Lothian Council's Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We are unable to comment on individual cases and we would not disclose personal information. As with all cases, we fully engage with the individuals and family involved.”