Mum took own life in blaze after partner split
A WOMAN who died in a Midland house fire killed herself, an inquest concluded.
Mandy Rowe died after starting the blaze because she was depressed after splitting up with her boyfriend, it was told.
Firefighters found Miss Rowe in the bedroom of her rented house in Droitwich in February of this year.
There were two separate fires in the property and a suicide note was also found, the Coroner heard.
Worcestershire Coroner’s Court heard the 37-year-old, who had children, broke up with her partner a couple of days previously and told her family she was “devastated”. She had a history of depression.
The inquest heard Miss Rowe, who worked as a kitchen assistant, was taking anti-depressants and sleeping tablets and had lied to her doctor to get extra medication. A bottle of vodka and tablets were found next to her body.
Emergency services were called to her three-bedroom home in the quiet cul-de-sac of Meadow Court in the Worcestershire town just after 9pm on February 15. Firefighters in breathing equipment searched the house and found her lying on the bed in her bedroom.
Fire investigation officer Neil Lilwall said: “My conclusion was that both seats of fire were started deliberately by the occupier.”
In a statement, Miss Rowe’s mother, Nicola Harris, told the inquest how her daughter drank heavily, consuming six bottles of cider a week, and took antidepressants and sleeping tablets. She said because of these issues, her children moved in with her and Miss Rowe visited them regularly. Mrs Harris said a few days before she died, Miss Rowe’s relationship with her boyfriend had also ended.
“Mandy was broken,” Mrs Harris told the inquest.
Assistant Worcestershire Coroner Nicholas Lane recorded a conclusion that Miss Rowe had taken her own life. He said: “It seems to me that in the period leading up to February 15 Mandy was not mentally in a good place. The break-up of her relationship seems to have been a trigger for Mandy being very unhappy.”