A Nottinghamshire mother is likely to have died after a 'staggered overuse' of painkillers given to her for elbow pain, an inquest has found. Gemma Atkin was found unresponsive in bed by her 10-year-old son at her home in Yew Tree Avenue, Mansfield on March 23 last year.
Upon the arrival of paramedics at around 7.15am, the 37-year-old was pronounced dead. A toxicity report presented at Ms Atkin's inquest today (January 13) found that she had a 'lethal level of codeine and a toxic level of paracetamol' in her system.
Assistant Coroner Fiona Gingell, who presided over the case at Nottingham Council House, ruled that Ms Atkin had died of mixed drug toxicity. She said there was no evidence to suggest the medication had been taken with any intentions to cause harm to herself, adding: "It's more likely that, as suggested by the pathologist, it was due to staggered overuse."
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The inquest also heard a statement from Ms Atkin's GP at Sherwood Medical Practice, who said Ms Atkin had complained of tennis elbow - a pain around the outside of the joint - two days before her death. Ms Gingell said the medication that was overused by the mum was likely to have been used as pain relief for this problem.
The GP also detailed a history of respiratory health issues since childhood, such as asthma, recurrent bronchitis and the return of lung abscesses, which the coroner said could have contributed to the likelihood of her death after the overdose. Giving evidence at the inquest, Detective Sergeant Matt Dumbrell, who investigated the death, said Ms Atkin's 10-year-old son had called 999.
"We were informed by East Midlands Ambulance Service that they had received a call from a 10-year-old child who had sadly found his mother unresponsive that morning at 7am," he said. "Medics were shown to the upstairs bedroom where they found Ms Atkin on the floor after she had been pulled from the bed by her son. Unfortunately she was pronounced dead at 7.19am.
Mr Dumbrell said there was no evidence of suspicious circumstances. Concluding, Ms Gingell said: "The evidence I have heard suggests Ms Atkin hadn't been very well in the lead up to her death.
"There is no evidence to suggest this medication had been taken with any intentions to cause harm to herself. It's more likely that, as suggested by the pathologist, it was due to staggered overuse.
"I note she had a history of respiratory illness which I note would make it more likely. Her death was a direct result of overuse of codeine and paracetamol."
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