A WOMAN who struggled to come to terms with the recent death of her son made the decision to take her own life, an inquest heard.
Amanda Hutchison was found deceased by her brother in the living room of her son’s flat on Montague Street in Barrow on the morning of March 2 this year – the day after her son’s funeral.
Cockermouth Coroners’ Court heard her son, Callum had been diagnosed with cancer and that he tragically passed away in hospital after developing sepsis and gangrene.
John Hutchison, Amanda’s brother recorded in his antecedent statement how he personally believed Callum’s death to be the catalyst for his sister taking her own life at the age of 51.
It comes after Mr Hutchison said Amanda told family members at the wake ceremony at Wetherspoons in Barrow on March 1 how ‘she had nothing left to carry on living for’ and that ‘there was now a massive void in her life’.
He added that his sister, who worked as a chaperone, had recently gone through a tough break up in a long-standing relationship with her partner and that the family had been going through a difficult period following the death of their sister, mother and father within the last two-and-a-half years.
Mr Hutchison said his sister told family members that she had not thought about taking her own life but expressed that ‘no one could stop her if she chose to do so’.
The court heard Mr Hutchison visited his sister with his cousin at around 10:30 am on March 2 where he then discovered her deceased lying with a blanket over her on the sofa.
The Northwest Ambulance Service confirmed the death at 10:55 am, the court heard.
Cumbria Police also attended the scene where officers found several empty packets of tablets and a suicide note detailing who she wanted all of her money to be left to, the court was told.
Police concluded in their statement that there had been no suspicious circumstances or evidence of any third-party involvement.
The court heard Miss Hutchison had struggled with some aspects of her mental health in particular with alcohol issues and depression and that her interaction with her GP surgery was ‘not the best’.
Recording the death as suicide as a result of the combined toxic effects of tablets, Coroner Craig Smith said: “This is a very sad and tragic death. It is clear Amanda was navigating her way through a series of setbacks and tragedies in recent years.
“Perhaps the most tragic event was the death of her son who had been diagnosed with cancer.
“One can only begin to imagine the grief and distress that she was experiencing and what she was having to cope with.
“I express my condolences to Amanda’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
On the balance of probabilities, Mr Smith concluded that Miss Hutchison had intended to take her own life and therefore offered a conclusion of suicide.
If you need someone to talk to call Samaritans on 116 123.
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