Paragraph 11 reads: “A post-mortem examination also
found a mixture of other painkillers and anti-depressants
in therapeutic rather than fatal amounts, but they could have worked
to enhance the effect of the pills.”
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2065818_grieving_nurse_had_spoken_of_suicide
Grieving nurse had spoken of suicide
February 15,
2010
A nurse who was found dead on her sofa had taken an overdose of her
daughter’s painkillers, an inquest heard.
Lindsay Davies, 50, was
discovered by her 22-year-old daughter at the family home in Southcote on August
26.
She had just finished a 10-day stint of night shifts at the Duchess
of Kent House in West Reading and the inquest heard it was thought she decided
to have a few drinks and fall asleep on the sofa.
Her husband Ian, known
as Terry, woke to the sound of her falling off the sofa at 2am and went
downstairs to pick her up and put her back on the settee at their home in
Worcester Close.
Giving evidence at the inquest on Tuesday, Mr Davies
said that he had left for work at around 6.30am and his wife was still snoring
soundly on the sofa. He said: “She had just finished night shifts and was
exhausted. It was not unusual for her to have a few drinks and relax when she
knew she didn’t have to go to work the next day.
“She had mentioned a few
things about taking her life but it was soon after her mother died and I just
thought it was normal to talk like that. I didn’t think she would actually do
anything, especially not where her family would find her.”
Mrs Davies,
who had a history of depression, had discussed taking her life with her daughter
but had said she would walk into the sea until she drowned and take her beloved
dog Charlie with her.
Her husband found a number of empty pill packets in
the house and some food bags of ham that had been laced with pills. But the dog,
who had been sleeping next to her, showed no signs of
poisoning.
Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford said that Mrs Davies had pills
in her stomach containing a painkiller that was prescribed to her daughter who
also suffered depression.
The pills were a potentially fatal
dose.
A post-mortem examination also found a mixture of other painkillers
and anti-depressants in therapeutic rather than fatal amounts, but they could
have worked to enhance the effect of the pills.
Recording an open
verdict, Mr Bedford said: “There is not enough evidence to allow me to reach a
clear conclusion.
“There is no suicide note, there is only one drug that
she overdosed in her body when you expect someone to try and take all the pills
you could get your hands on, and the fact she had said she would not do it at
home where her daughter would find her.
“There is doubt for me
there.”
