Pensioner, 86, killed herself over back pain

AN 86-year-old woman was found by her grandson asphyxiated in bed, an inquest heard.

Dorothy Baron, of Great Harwood, was discovered by Richard Baron on January 22 this year after he had gone round to her home on Harwood New Road for a visit with his son.

Blackburn Coroners Court heard how the retired secretary, who had suffered with back pain for 25 years, had killed herself and that the medical cause of death was asphyxiation.

Richard Baron told the hearing that he arrived at her home at around 2pm and despite shouting her name several times did not get a response.

He told the hearing: “I went upstairs and shouted my grandmother’s name. I didn’t hear anything. I peered through the (bedroom) door and I saw her.”

Mrs Baron’s son Philip Baron told the inquest that he last saw her on Tuesday, January 17, when he went round to help her with the shopping and said that she was complaining of back pain.

He said: “I usually took her shopping in Great Harwood but on the last occasion she felt not fit enough to go and left me a shopping list.

“She was complaining of a lot of back pain. She has had pain for the last 25 years but takes large doses of ibuprofen.

“Over the last two or three weeks she had a lot of unusual pain which prevented her from sleeping and she was getting rather upset about it.

“To my knowledge at the time I didn’t think it was that serious that she was going to do anything about it.

“She was still planning her holiday with us to the Lake District and seeing her grandson. I didn’t think she was depressed or anything like that.”

The inquest heard how a neighbour saw Mrs Baron’s house lights on earlier in the day on January 22. Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a conclusion of suicide and that ‘clearly whatever she did she did suddenly’.

He told the family: “I offer my sincere condolences on your loss and particularly to you Richard on being the one who found her.

“I’m sure that’s an image that will be burned into your memory and one that you could well have done to have avoided.

“At the age she was Mrs Baron deserved to simply die in her sleep peacefully. That she felt the need, however momentary, is very sad for her having lived such a productive life.”