A 37-year-old mother of three was discovered deceased in her boyfriend’s bed after unintentionally overdosing on pain medication while struggling with chronic back pain.
Amie Barnes, who was awaiting spinal surgery, ingested the pills to alleviate her suffering before undergoing the procedure. Following a night of sharing a meal and wine with her partner Jack at their residence in Lancashire, they retired to bed. The next morning, Jack bid farewell to Amie before leaving for work. Upon his return, he found her lifeless on the bed. Emergency services were summoned, initially treating the death as suspicious due to a facial injury and blood near her mouth. Subsequently, it was determined that the appearance of injury was due to blood pooling caused by Amie inadvertently lying on her vape device, LancsLive reported.
A post mortem CT scan detected no natural cause of death, but toxicology tests showed the presence of painkillers in her system. The midwife, who worked at hospitals in Blackpool and Preston, had also consumed a minimal amount of alcohol.
During the inquest at Preston Coroners’ Court, Assistant Coroner Richard Taylor stated that while the painkillers individually may not have been lethal, their combined effects could have led to significant sedation, potentially resulting in her demise.
Amie’s general practitioner revealed that she had sought medical assistance multiple times in the months leading up to her passing. She had been prescribed various pain medications to manage her back pain while awaiting spinal surgery at Salford Royal Hospital.
Detective Sergeant Jamie Robinson of Blackpool Police confirmed that there was no evidence of external involvement in Amie’s death. DS Robinson explained that Amie was found on the floor but had been moved by paramedics. The positioning of her body and the presence of a vape device under her face contributed to the appearance of facial injury.
The coroner concluded the investigation as a misadventure, indicating that the death was an unintended consequence of an intended action. It was suggested that Amie may have unintentionally consumed an excessive amount of painkillers and alcohol, given her pain and the circumstances.
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