A 41-year-old woman who was discovered dead in her bedroom by her mother died from an accidental overdose, a coroner ruled this week.
Beaconsfield Coroner’s Court heard Julie Bainbridge was found slumped over on her bed at her Hazlemere home by her mum, Monica Bainbridge, at around 5.30pm on March 17.
PC Francesca Keen, who attended the scene, said medication and bottles of alcohol were found in Miss Bainbridge’s room, and half a bottle of wine was found in her handbag.
A post-mortem found “toxic” levels of oxycodone is Miss Bainbridge’s system as well as alcohol - which made her twice the legal drink drive limit, the court heard.
Miss Bainbridge’s friend, Julie Puddephatt, told the coroner that the 41-year-old had suffered from mental health issues “on and off for several years”.
However, she said that Miss Bainbridge had shown no signs of self-harm or suicide – and they had been making plans for the following week before she died.
Ms Puddephatt added that the pair were discussing a close friend of theirs who recently died from cancer, and left behind a 13-year-old son.
Miss Bainbridge, whose son is also 13, told Ms Puddephatt that “she could not comprehend how sad it must be for her son to go through his teenage years without a mother.”
The court heard that Mrs Bainbridge had seen her daughter the day before her death and she had been in a “very good mood” and was excited as her son was due to start his first job at the weekend.
The mother-of-one had “numerous” medical conditions which she took medication for, however it is not believed her ailments contributed to her death.
Assistant coroner for Buckinghamshire, Anne Davies, recorded the cause of death as an accidental overdose, stating the “potency” of the opioid drug was increased by the alcohol.
Referring to Miss Bainbridge’s 13-year-old son, Ms Davies said: “I hope he comes through this huge set back in his early teen years. I am sure everyone will rally around him.”
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