‘Brilliant’ grandma’s fight with depression
AN inquest has heard a former pub steward from Widnes living in Runcorn died after a decades-long struggle with alcohol and suffering from depression.
Karen Arnold, 56, of Lockgate West, Windmill Hill, was found at home on her side in bed on July 10 after her partner Mark Barlow raised concerns having been unable to make contact with her since he saw her late on Friday, July 6.
There were empty blister packs of pills and empty wine bottles in the property.
But Heath Westerman, assistant coroner for Cheshire, read pathology evidence from pathologist Dr Dillshad Shareef who said it was not possible to determine the cause of death because of the amount of time she had been dead so examinations such as blood and urine content and of her organs could not take place.
The inquest at Warrington coroner’s office heard Mrs Arnold had tried to take her own life by an overdose of medication in June.
Police who attended her home and forced entry on July 10 said all windows and doors were locked and secure, and they ruled out foul play.
Her phone had missed calls from Saturday, July 7 onwards.
Mr Westerman read a statement from Kathryn Arnold, daughter of the deceased, who said her mother had been a ‘lovely’, ‘bubbly’ and ‘vibrant’ person but ‘had her demons’.
She said her mother was born in Widnes, had a ‘normal childhood’, attending Halebank Primary School and Bankfield School where she was ‘popular and had lots of friends’, as well as Sunday school and college.
After college Karen went to work as a barmaid at Butlins in Filey in Yorkshire where she met her husband, bar manager Mike Arnold. Three or four years later they moved to south Wales were they ran a working men’s club.
It was during this time that her daughter believed her drinking problem began, due to having ‘easy access to a wide variety of spirits’.
The couple married in 1985, but it was only the following year when ‘daddy’s girl’ Karen lost her father, which ‘really affected’ her, and she began to drink more.
Their daughter was born in 1989, and after struggling with money they returned to the family home in Halebank, before moving to a maisonette.
Karen took on a job at a cake factory and later was a cleaner, then a steward at the Halton Royal British Legion on Main Street in Halton Village.
She separated from her husband in the mid-90s and moved to her own flat on Camelot Way in Runcorn.
Kathryn recalled that her mother suffered a slipped disk when she was attacked with baseball bats during a robbery while working at Widnes Rugby Club, and when Kathryn was called to the scene she saw ‘money blowing all around’.
Her mother had been ‘locking up’ when beaten from behind, which left her finding it difficult to stand and walk, and also affected her mentally, as she was ‘worried to go out alone’.
She moved to a flat on Pine Road in Runcorn, with her daughter and exhusband in a flat below.
Relations were ‘amicable’, but her drinking continued and the relationship became ‘distant’.
During the 2010s, Kathryn was ‘increasingly concerned about her drinking’ but Karen could be ‘a brilliant grandma’ to her granddaughter, although she struggled with money and her alcohol addiction, and then with her mental health.
At some point between 2012 and 2015, she told medics at Warrington’s A&E she ‘wanted to kill herself’.
She was admitted to hospital after an attempted overdose in June 2018.
A statement from her general practitioner (GP) said she had suffered anxiety and depression.
Mr Westerman concluded that based on the evidence available, he could only record her cause of death as ‘unascertained’. ●
He said: “The deceased was discovered at her home address after attempts were made to contact her over a number of days. My conclusion has to be open.
“There’s no medical cause of death that can be given by Dr Shareef and in Karen’s having not been discovered for a number of days.”
Mr Westerman offered his condolences to her family. ● FOR help with depression contact:
Samaritans (116123) operates a 24-hour service. available every day of the year. Email jo@samaritans.org .
PAPYRUS (0800 0684141) supports teenagers and young adults feeling suicidal. See www.talktofrank.com
Child Bereavement UK (01928 577 164) supports families who have lost a child, call 01928 577 164.
For alcohol problems, visit www. nhs. uk/ live- well/ alcohol- support, speak to a GP or search online for charities such as www.drinkaware. co.uk and other services.