Inquest hears of mother found dead in bedroom on birthday

An inquest heard how a 44-year-old woman from Slough was found dead in bed on the morning of her birthday by her daughter, having taken a combination of medication.

At Reading Town Hall on Friday senior coroner for Berkshire Peter Bedford recalled how on the evening of November 23, 2017, Ms Appleton asked her children not to wake her up the following morning so she could have a lie in.

The inquest heard how she had text messages on her phone to arrange a meeting the next day.

Family members, who attended the inquest said Ms Appleton often felt depressed around her birthday, but noticed nothing unusual the night before her death.

The inquest heard how she took an overdose in 2012, but had not had any other incidents since, and that she was prescribed anti-depressants but was not in contact with mental health services.

A toxicology report said Ms Appleton had alcohol, morphine, amphetamine, anti-depressant amitriptyline and relaxant diazepam in her blood.

Mr Bedford said combinations of stimulants and depressants, can affect people in very different ways depending on circumstances.

The coroner was not satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that Ms Appleton had intentionally ended her life and delivered a conclusion of ‘drug related death’.