mond2x: Mum, 61, found dead at bottom of stairs after drinking whisky

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Mum, 61, found dead at bottom of stairs after drinking whisky

A MOTHER-OF-SIX was found lying at the bottom of the stairs in a sheltered housing complex suffering from serious head injuries after drinking whisky, an inquest heard.

Margaret Whitehead is thought to have fallen down the steps as she tried to return to her flat at Doris Robinson Court, in Viscount Walk, Meir, following a social evening.

The 61-year-old widow was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, where a CT scan revealed she had a blood clot on the brain and needed surgery.

She died a day later when her life support machine was switched off.

The inquest at Hartshill heard yesterday Mrs Whitehead had a drink problem and whisky was her preference.

But she had been making good progress in reducing her alcohol consumption.

On August 11 last year, she had gone round to her neighbour Jacqueline Pearson's flat at their sheltered housing complex to enjoy a meal and a few drinks. Mrs Pearson's mother, Patricia Botha, was also there and was staying over.

After Mrs Pearson went to bed, the other two ladies carried on chatting. But Mrs Botha, who may have then dozed off in the chair, became concerned when she realised Mrs Whitehead was no longer in the flat. She went to investigate.

Mrs Botha, from Codsall, said: "She was at the bottom of the stairs in the corner by the door. I didn't know what had happened. I didn't hear her fall. I just surmised she had fallen."

The woman's legs were resting on the bottom three stairs and she was lying on her back. Mrs Botha summoned her daughter's help.

Mrs Pearson told the hearing: "I went 'Margaret, Margaret, Margaret'. Then I noticed the blood in her ear. I pressed the panic button and they got help from the paramedics."

When asked at the inquest about how much her friend had drunk that evening, Mrs Pearson said she had seen her have "two or three, maybe three or four" glasses of whisky.

After initially going to bed, Mrs Pearson had gone back to check on the pair and noticed they were still drinking.

"The glasses were fuller when I came downstairs than when I had gone to bed," she said. Mrs Pearson then returned to bed and awoke to her mother's shouting.

Mrs Whitehead's son, Darren Whitlam, from Coventry, told the hearing: "My mother had always been unsteady on her feet. She had on occasion fallen. She would trip for no reason."

A post-mortem examination revealed she had died from a haemorrhage or cerebral contusion. She had also suffered cranial fractures in the fall.

Following the tragedy, Mrs Whitehead's organs were donated to help save other people's lives.

Margaret Jones, assistant deputy coroner for North Staffordshire, said: "Mrs Whitehead was obviously a sociable lady. She went to visit her friend and her friend's mother and they enjoyed a social evening together."

She said after the meal and several drinks, Mrs Whitehead had decided to leave the neighbour's flat. It was unclear if she had just been popping home to get some more whisky.

She was discovered lying at the foot of the stairs at 1.45am, although she may have fallen some time earlier.

Mrs Jones recorded a verdict of accidental death.