15 September 2023 , 09:35
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A 26-year-old mum died of "cocaine toxicity" two days after she went out to celebrate Valentine's Day with her boyfriend, an inquest has heard.
Mum-of-two Charlotte Hibbert, 26, collapsed at her home in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, on February 16, 2022 and was sadly confirmed dead at the scene. Her boyfriend Connor Duerden was arrested but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided there was "insufficient evidence" to charge him with gross negligence manslaughter.
Manchester Coroners' Court heard Charlotte, who was said to be a user of cocaine at social occasions, was in a happy mood when she went out with her boyfriend on February 14. But when paramedics were called to the couple's home on Sparkford Avenue in Brooklands two days later, they found the woman unresponsive on the floor of the living room.
Charlotte was pronounced dead at home (MEN Media)They attempted CPR, but Charlotte was pronounced dead. A post-mortem revealed several bruises and lacerations on her upper arms as well as bruising to a hand and scalp, reports the Manchester Evening News. The inquest heard the Home Office pathologist who conducted the post-mortem concluded: "Regardless of how these were obtained I do not believe them to be a contributor either collectively or individually to the cause of death." He noted that there were no other injuries consistent with an assault.
A toxicology report revealed Charlotte had consumed cocaine "within a day or so" of her death and analysis also showed the drug had been taken when alcohol was present. Recording the cause of death as "cocaine toxicity", he concluded: "Cocaine toxicity represented the central factor in the death of Charlotte."
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The inquest heard senior investigating officer Matthew Dixon led a "special procedure investigation" into the death because of concern about "the circumstances leading up to the death" expressed at the scene by paramedics. The paramedics were concerned that no CPR had been attempted prior to their arrival and they suspected Charlotte had been deceased "longer than indicated", the inquest heard. Charlotte's partner provided police with an "initial verbal account" at the scene and said he believed her drink had been spiked in the last bar they visited.
When paramedics arrived, they found Charlotte unresponsive in her living room (Anthony Moss / MEN Media)DI Dixon submitted a file of evidence but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided there was "insufficient evidence" to charge Mr Duerden with gross negligence manslaughter, the inquest heard. It meant no further action was taken against him although the inquest heard an investigation was continuing into allegations of possession of class A drugs.
Assistant coroner Andrew Bridgman said: "Charlotte died at her home on February 16, 2022, having used cocaine within the previous day or so.... Given the circumstances of her death the only conclusion I can reach is that this was a drug-related death." Addressing Charlotte's family, he added: "The loss of a child is a grief no parent should have to bear... I really am truly sorry for your loss."
After the hearing, Charlotte's mother Lisa Cliff told the MEN: "I think about what happened every night but it's terrible to think we may never find out exactly what happened during those two days. I lost my eldest son in 2014 with meningitis. He was 21. He would be 30 now. My family has suffered enough."