A man who was forced to live in a tent with his wife after becoming homeless during the pandemic stayed with her body for three days after she died, an inquest was told.
Michael Winter and his wife Angela, 56, were living in a campsite in some woods in Burton-on-Trent.
But things took a turn for the worst after the couple had an argument with Angela saying she could no longer cope with living in a tent, Staffordshire Live reports.
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The inquest heard that Michael spent several days at the tent hoping she would return, he then went out to look for her - she was found dead on June 29 in the proximity of a children's play area.
The distraught husband attempted to take his own life and wrapped his wife in a tent so any children playing nearby would not see her body.
He stayed by her side for three days before reporting her death to Burton Police Station.
Throughout those three days he did not eat or drink due to being so distraught.
A hearing was told that Mr Winter was arrested on suspicion of murder, but was later cleared.
Mrs Winter had clonazepam, paracetamol and atolin in her system, which when combined may have led to fatal toxicity, the inquest was told.
Dr Alexander Kolar, who carried out the post-mortem, said: "In her lungs we also found widespread pneumonia. This was possibly independent from the drugs but the drugs [taken] slow the heart rate and breath rate and poses a significant risk of pneumonia.
"It is far more likely that it became a more prolonged death associated with the drugs in her system."
The police were informed that the couple had lost their jobs during the covid pandemic and in March 2021 could no longer pay their rent.
As a result, the couple left their belongings behind and moved in with Mr Winter's family but a disagreement led to the couple moving out on June 1 and living in a tent while relying on food banks.
On June 20, the couple attempted to move back in with Mr Winter's family but were turned away.
On June 24 when they struggled to sleep, Mr Winter said his wife "exploded", saying she had had enough of their living arrangements and walked off carrying two bags.
Upon discovering her body three days later, Mr Winter checked his wife's rucksack, only to discover all her medication for epilepsy, through condition and blood pressure had gone.
Mr Howe, reading the statement, said: "He did not think she was suicidal. He sat down next to her and looked in her bag and found all her medication had gone and believed she had taken an overdose.
"He sat with her for the next few days and wrapped her body in the tent as he was concerned about children playing in the park nearby."
Before walking to the police station on July 2, Mr Winter attempted to take his own life.
A forensic entomologist, a scientist who studies insects, estimated her death occurred between June 23 and June 26
She was formally identified using her sister's DNA.
Her cause of death was given as the combined effects of clonazepam, paracetamol and atolin, with the coroner recording a verdict of suicide.
At the time of her death, Angela’s family released a statement that said: “Angela was a lovely sister who will be sadly missed by all of her family.
“We are hopeful that in the near future, we will learn more about what led up to her passing.”
