Tag: inquest
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Brit student died after accidentally hitting his head falling into hotel swimming pool on holiday, inquest hears
A BRIT student died while on holiday when he hit his head falling into a hotel swimming pool, an inquest has heard.
Student Charlie Hopkins, 23, from Buckley, north Wales, tragically died while visiting a friend in Tulum, Mexico on April 8, 2021.
History student Charlie Hopkins, 23, suffered a fractured skull when he fell into the pool[/caption]
The inquest heard it was a mystery how he fell into the water because no-one else was in the pool when the 1am tragedy took place.
CCTV footage showed Charlie walking on a balcony through the hotel’s reception area in his underpants on April 9, 2021.
The hearing was told no-one else was in the pool in Tulum, Mexico, but “very soon afterwards” a camera captured the water in the pool being disturbed.
Another guest discovered his body on the bottom of the pool about five hours later.
Charlie, of Buckley, North Wales, had studied history at University College, London.
In a statement read at the inquest his father Mark described him as “bubbly” and “the light and soul of every room he was in”.
He was a keen musician and strong campaigner for LGBT rights.
He said that Charlie had good friends in London where he lived – but was glad to jet off on holiday when the lockdown restrictions during the Covid pandemic were eased.
He checked into the two-storey Hotel Turquoise Petit in Tulum on April 8, 2021.
He was invited there by his pal Alex who lived in Mexico.
The inquest in Ruthin heard he had a video call to his parents almost every day while he was there.
“We became concerned when we didn’t hear from him for 24 hours,” said Mr Hopkins.
On April 9 they received the “devastating” call that he had been found dead.
His father said: “He was a lively, loving, trusting young man. He saw only the good in everyone.
“Charlie would always finish talking to someone and say ‘I love that person’ – that’s just the sort of person he was.”
Mr Hopkins’ family said his death has left them “broken” and that their lives have been “turned upside down.”
A post-mortem examination was carried out in Mexico. His body was later repatriated.
Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers confirmed the cause of death as “a blunt force head injury and drowning, consistent with a fall from height”.
John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, said initally there were some initial concerns that he had been assaulted.
But the coroner said he had probably hit his head somehow while entering the pool, adding: “There is absolutely no reason to give consideration to it being a deliberate act.”
He recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
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Vulnerable woman, 55, died of hypothermia inside her freezing cold & barren council home, inquest finds
A WOMAN died from hypothermia after routinely leaving her home unheated, a court heard.
Cass Terry, 55, from Exeter, Devon, suffered from poor mental health triggered by persistent delusional disorder.
Terry, right, had a history of mental health issues[/caption]
The fire brigade were called to break into Ms Terry’s property by one of her neighbours in November 2021.
The concerned neighbour reported not having seen her for a week – and saw her lying motionless when he looked through her letterbox.
The musician and artist passed away a year after she was placed under the care of Devon’s Community Mental Health Team.
An inquest heard on Wednesday how Ms Terry was unsure how to use her heating system and did not own a washing machine, microwave, or fridge.
Her sister, Anne-Marie Rogers, feels that the lack of care she received could have played a part in her death.
She said: “I have concerns about her death and the care she received or did not receive leading up to her death which I feel possibly contributed to her death.”
Exeter Coroner’s Court heard Ms Terry would often drink heavily to self-medicate.
Despite this, a post-mortem examination noted that she died from hypothermia and that she was not intoxicated.
Describing her past struggles, Anne-Marie continued: “She was put into care at age of 14 by Devon County Council and was also repeatedly sectioned in recent years.
“She had been homeless, once living in a cave.”
A neighbour recalled how her mental health noticeably worsened shortly before she died.
In a statement, he said: “She started drinking more heavily in the months before passed away, about 10 cans of lager a day.”
Reflecting on Ms Terry’s living conditions, he added: “The weather was quite cold at the time [she died] and I know she always used to have her windows open.
“When I visited her flat previously I remember it being very cold and I said to put the heating on but she said she did not know how to.
“In my opinion, she could not look after herself due to her drinking and she should have had a carer.”
After displaying symptoms of psychosis, Hertfordshire-born Ms Terry was assigned a support worker by CMHT who visited on a bimonthly basis.
On one occasion, when the worker asked to help source a new fridge, Ms Terry declined – stating that she was having her kitchen fitted and it wasn’t an “urgent” acquisition.
Additionally, a social care package was proposed by the CMHT, but Ms Terry again refused – assuring them that her neighbours were taking good care of her.
Issues with a lack of heating were never mentioned, the court heard.
Ms Kent said: “We had to respect her choice and decision and she had the ability to weigh up her options. We felt she had insight and an ability to self-rescue by calling into services so that was quite a protective factor.”
No concerns were highlighted when Ms Terry had her annual over-the-phone mental health check in February 2021, nine months before her death.
Paying tribute to Ms Terry after the inquest, her sister Miss Rogers said: ” She was a gentle soul who loved animals.
“Despite being well known to Exeter mental health services, having been sectioned six times in four years including several occasions in Exeter, she was discharged during a lockdown and judged a ‘low risk’.
“Yet the mental health services knew she couldn’t cook for herself, didn’t have a fridge, wasn’t taking her medication, and had been sectioned the year before.
“Cass’s death is an indictment of current mental health provision. The principle of self-determination seems to be used as an excuse to ration mental health services. Once discharged, there was no care for Cass. The mental health system that is set up to protect people like Cass has seriously failed her and our family.”
Area coroner Alison Longhorn reached a conclusion of natural causes for Ms Terry’s death.