Mother is choked to death by dogs’ tangled leads
A MOTHER was strangled by her two dogs’ leads after they became twisted around her neck during a walk.
Deborah Roberts, 47, was found choking on the ground by a young girl near her home, an inquest heard.
Paramedics fought to save her but she died at the scene.
yesterday heartbroken friends and relatives paid tribute to the ‘golden-hearted’ mother- of-four, who died on July 8.
The following day would have marked the third anniversary of her husband Paul’s death at the age of just 52.
Mrs Roberts suffered from huntington’s disease, a progressive condition with symptoms including clumsiness and stumbling.
A girl found the grandmother in difficulty on a green used by dog walkers in Wrexham, North Wales.
She alerted two men working nearby who went over to discover Mrs Roberts lying down ‘with a lead or leads’ round her neck which were being pulled by two dogs, said senior coroner for North Wales east and Central John Gittins. Following a post-mortem examination the provisional cause of death was given as asphyxia due to strangulation. There were no suspicious circumstances.
It was not revealed what breed of dogs she was walking.
The inquest in Ruthin was adjourned to a date to be fixed.
‘Twisted around her neck’
Mrs Roberts is understood to have helped out at a playgroup and also worked in a warehouse.
yesterday a local resident said: ‘It’s shocking. A little girl came running shouting for help to the bungalows here. There were two ambulances and about seven police cars turned up.’
Mrs Roberts’ sons Daniel, 25, Callum, 23, Jamie, 21, and Jack, 19, have asked people wishing to pay their respects at her funeral today to wear bright colours ‘just as she would have liked it’.
Writing on Facebook, Callum said they had been ‘overwhelmed by all the lovely comments about my mum, she really was one of a kind and we’ll miss her so much’.
he added: ‘As some of you may have known our mum had huntington’s disease and because of that we have chosen any donation to go towards the huntington’s Disease Association, we are trying to raise as much money and awareness for this cruel disease.’ Tributes have been left at the scene of Mrs Roberts’ death.
One from three friends said: ‘An angel has been taken away from us. you were the funniest, most caring woman we’ve ever met.’
Another addressed to ‘Auntie Deb’ read: ‘All the children who started their journey at playgroup will cherish every minute of your wicked sense of humour, infectious smile and lots of cuddles and kisses. you had a heart of gold.’