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Overdose suicide of mauled baby's gran
THE grandmother of a baby boy mauled to death by a Rottweiler took a massive overdose of painkillers to end her own life.
Paula Williamson, 42, the grandmother of tragic tot Archie-Lee Hirst, was taking Oxycodone painkillers at the time of her death, an inquest heard.
Pathologist Dr Jennifer Thomas told the Wakefield coroner's court that fatal overdoses of the drug have been recorded involving 1,500 mg of the drug. A post-mortem report on Mrs Williamson found she had 179,000 mg in her system, with 78 tablets in her body.
The court heard that Mrs Williamson, of Roundwood Rise, Lupset, had complained of stomach pains in the days before her death.
She had gone to bed on April 12 and was unconscious and unresponsive when she was found by her son, Ryan, 18, the following morning.
He called an ambulance and tried to resuscitate his mother but she was pronounced dead that morning.
The court heard that Mrs Williamson had a history of serious mental illness and had tried to take her own life on a number of occasions.
She had been prescribed limited numbers of tablets at each time.
Deputy coroner Richard Manning said she had saved up the Oxycodone for weeks for the purpose of taking her own life.
Mrs Williamson's suicide came not long after the death of Archie-Lee. The one-year-old had been staying at the home of his other grandparents when he was attacked by their pet dog in the back yard of their home, on Chald Lane, Wakefield.
West Yorkshire Police have said there is insufficient evidence to secure criminal convictions over the death.
The court heard Mrs Williamson has said she wished it had been her that died rather than her grandson.
The coroner recorded a verdict that Mrs Williamson had taken her own life.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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