Young Professional’s Tragic Descent: A Mother’s Desperate Search

Mental health crisis and family estrangement lead to a devastating loss

A promising young woman, Naina Mishra, who had graduated from university in the US, interned at Goldman Sachs, and was set for a high-flying career at McKinsey, tragically died in October 2024. Her final year in London was marked by a profound mental health crisis and a desperate search by her mother, Vandana Luthra, to locate her daughter, highlighting systemic failures in recognizing and supporting young adults experiencing severe psychological distress.

A Rapid Unraveling

Naina Mishra first appeared at a Euston yoga studio in January 2022, a seemingly self-possessed 21-year-old with clear ambitions. Her teachers, Hamish Hendry and Louise Newton, recalled her focus on future goals: “My goals are to be a CEO, to have three children, to be married,” she had stated. However, by November 2023, Naina had returned, a shadow of her former self, exhibiting signs of intrusive thoughts and appearing detached. Throughout 2024, her behaviour became increasingly erratic, including believing she owned every item in a yoga-wear range and had purchased an entire collection of stuffed toys. She also expressed paranoia, informing Hendry that people were following her and she intended to change her name.

“She was like a shadow of herself,” **Newton** says. “She was here, but out of it, just very slightly.”

—Louise Newton, Yoga Teacher

Despite attempts by Hendry and Newton to connect her with mental health services, Naina‘s changing phone numbers led to a loss of contact, and she seemed to vanish.

Seeds of Distress

Vandana Luthra, speaking from Connecticut, revealed a family history of mental illness, including schizophrenia in Naina‘s grandmother. Naina had always been independent, but a pivotal moment occurred in January 2019, during her first year of college, when she disclosed a sexual assault that had happened the previous September. Vandana’s immediate, albeit shocked, questions about the incident caused an immediate rift, with Naina feeling accused.

“Those questions fell badly,” she concedes. “She said, ‘You’re accusing me.’ I was not – I was in a state of shock, just processing that sequence of events.”

—Vandana Luthra, Mother

Following this, Naina became more withdrawn and depressed, sometimes going silent for days. By May 2022, she informed her mother of a childhood sexual assault, an account Vandana found implausible given her memories of her children’s upbringing. This conversation also led to a period of silence.

A Mother’s Relentless Pursuit

After leaving London in 2022, Naina cut contact with her mother, despite receiving approximately $140,000 for her New York apartment. Her mother’s attempts to reach out to Naina‘s friends were met with widespread blocking. In early 2024, upon learning that Naina had left her “dream job” and “dream city” to return to London, Vandana entered “full panic mode.”

The challenge for parents in such situations is immense. In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a national helpline, but parental intervention rights for adult children can be legally complex, especially when the adult refuses contact. In 2023, 26% of adults with a mental illness reported an unmet need for treatment, highlighting a widespread struggle to access care (SAMHSA, 2023).

Vandana hired private investigators, spent thousands of pounds, and reached out to friends and former colleagues in a bid to find Naina. She learned Naina had been on disability leave for half of her tenure at McKinsey. Despite contacting HR, Vandana was denied information due to privacy laws. One investigator located an address in Walthamstow, east London, where Vandana traveled, only to find Naina had already moved on.

A Final Call and a Tragic End

On October 19, 2024, Naina called her mother. “Mum,” she said, “will you help me? I’m in danger.” Naina described a street filled with black cars and people in black waiting to kidnap her. Vandana urged her to call the police, but Naina refused, stating they wouldn’t assist.

Meanwhile, **Naina**’s friend, **Gauri Nafrey**, was contacted and went to **Naina**’s flat. She found **Naina** meticulously packing, appearing detached and like a “lost child.” Another friend, **Karuna Kapoor**, agreed to care for **Naina** until **Vandana** arrived. **Naina** exhibited severe paranoia, believing **Kapoor**’s dog was a spy and accusing **Kapoor** of being an impostor.

When Vandana finally met Naina at Kapoor‘s home, she was struck by her daughter’s fragility. Despite a seemingly tender moment in a park, where Naina asked for a hug, her mental state remained deeply troubling. The pair flew to Hong Kong, with Naina planning her future and seeming lucid. However, on the Thursday night, during a brief moment Vandana was out of the room, Naina ended her life.

In the days following **Naina**’s death, messages recovered from her computer revealed her struggle with auditory hallucinations and conflicting accounts of past abuse. One friend had responded to **Naina**’s confession of hearing voices telling her to commit suicide with, “Just remember how strong and loved you are. You can get through this!! Get rid of all the negative voices by replacing them with a million ‘I love you’s okay???”

A Plea for Awareness

Reflecting on **Naina**’s final year, **Louise Newton** lamented, “Naina fell through our fingers. I wish I’d tried to meet up with her, or find out where she lived, or who her parents were. I wish I had tried a bit more.” **Vandana** is now determined that **Naina**’s story serves as a catalyst for change.

“People have to know what mental illness is. I want to make sure high schools all over the world teach kids to recognise psychosis. At every point, somebody or other came in contact with her who could have helped. I want Naina’s story to go far and wide. She died because the people around her were ignorant.”

—Vandana Luthra, Mother