Terminal couple likely died in 'pact' as they 'could not bear living apart'
A terminally ill couple who "could not bear the thought" of living apart likely died in a suicide pact, an inquest has heard.
Robert and Patricia Lloyd had been married for over 50 years and were described as "wonderful parents" by their daughter. But they were both terminally ill, and found dead together in their home in the village of Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury on June 1, last year.
Their deaths were initially treated as "unexplained" with no one else thought to have been involved. Now, an inquest into their deaths has said that they likely died after taking their lives together, BirminghamLive reported.
Mr Lloyd, an 84-year-old retired police sergeant from Birmingham, suffered from lung cancer - something he discovered after having an X-ray following a crash. His 80-year-old wife was a retired teaching assistant and had dementia and a brain tumour.
Joining the inquest at Shrewsbury Coroners Court via video link from Australia, their daughter Sarah Davis, said her "wonderful" parents had loved each other "unconditionally". She said: "I take comfort they are together and at peace. They were wonderful parents and were both terminally ill. They couldn't bear the thought of one not being there. I miss them every day."
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Previously, the heartbroken daughter had said: "Mum and dad were a loving, dedicated couple married for more than 50 years, and the most wonderful parents I could have asked for. They will be greatly missed by their family and many close friends. They were both terminally ill, dad with cancer and mum with a brain tumour and dementia, and they couldn’t bear the thought of one not being there to support the other.
"They are now at peace, and we will all cherish our memories of them over the years, remembering them fondly together, at home in their much-loved summer house, looking at their beautiful garden."
The house where the elderly couple, married 50 years, were found (Birmingham Live)Detective Constable Sarah Smither, from West Mercia Police, told the inquest that Mr Lloyd had picked his wife up from the Bowbrook House care home, in Shrewsbury, on June 1. This was something that happened frequently, but he failed to bring her back by 6pm. Instead, a care worker and her husband found the couple locked in their summer house five hours later.
The coroner's court heard how Mrs Lloyd had always said she had wanted to die around family. She was due to be moved to a nursing home on June 2 as the care home could no longer provide the support she needed. Mrs Davis said her parents - who had been married for more than 50 years - seemed positive when she spoke to them on Facetime at 11am on June 1. Her mum, who was born in Hereford, was particularly happy and lucid.
Due to her mum's mood, Mrs Davis decided to record the Facetime conversation. She said: "In hindsight I believe my mum knew it was the last time we'd speak." Mrs Davis added: "They loved each other unconditionally." Det Con Smither reviewed the footage after the deaths and agreed Mrs Lloyd was happy and lucid.
Senior Coroner John Ellery concluded that Mr Lloyd had died as a result of suicide. He recorded a narrative verdict in relation to Mrs Lloyd's death, with the inquest hearing she died with her husband during a lucid interval.
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