Woman, 75, found in wood, died of hypothermia, inquest finds
A PENSIONER who was the subject of a widescale emergency services search operation after she went missing was found dead in woodland after she became entangled in brambles and caught hypothermia, an inquest has heard.
Linda Culverwell was found dead within a secluded area of woodland off the main path of Brandy Cove in Bishopston, Swansea, on Sunday, April 18, four days after she was reported missing and two days after she was last seen on CCTV.
An inquest into the death of the 75-year-old was held at Swansea’s Guildhall, and heard how police used a number of different methods to search for Mrs Culverwell, including the use of the force’s helicopter, drones, and checks with hospitals and taxi firms.
Mrs Culverwell had been the subject of a missing persons appeal by South Wales Police, who asked people to be on the look out for a woman matching her description of 5 foot 2 inches tall, of slight build and with copperblonde hair, and last seen wearing blue jeans and a red mac.
She was discovered by Adam Cooper, who had been out walking with his wife when he discovered her possessions, a handbag, pills, cigarette paraphernalia and a bottle of water, laying near a tree.
The inquest heard how Mrs Culverwell had made a number of suicide attempts over the years. Before she was discovered, she had been living with her sister Janet.
Mrs Culverwell had been brought up in the Surrey area, and moved to Swansea in 1985 after her former husband Peter left the Navy.
A post-mortem report established that the pensioner had multiple scratches and abrasion marks to the back of her hands and legs, and extensive dirt marks on her feet attributed to rough undergrowth and vegetation. There was no evidence of trauma playing a role in her death.
Returning his findings, acting senior coroner Colin Phillips said: “The cause of death is probable hypothermia and coronary artery atherosclerosis.”