Pregnant mother died of brain haemorrhage

A “FIT and healthy” mum died from a brain haemorrhage, just weeks after finding out she was pregnant.

Francesca Harris, known as Frankie, was found dead at her home in Pengam Road in Aberbargoed on March 31 last year. The 38-year-old was 24 weeks pregnant with her third child, a baby boy.

At an inquest in Newport senior coroner Caroline Saunders said on the evening before her death Ms Harris had been enjoying a meal at a pub with her partner of 22 years, Andrew Burton, and their friends.

In his witness statement Mr Burton described Ms Harris as “glowing” and said nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

He told how Ms Harris was an active mum to their twin daughters and was a keen walker and swimmer.

He said he had decided to spend the night of March 30 at his father’s house nearby to give Ms Harris “some space”. He said she hadn’t been sleeping properly and needed to rest.

Mr Burton said that when he arrived home at around 3.25pm the next day Ms Harris didn’t answer the door so he climbed through a back window.

He said he discovered Ms Harris unresponsive in bed. He called the emergency services but paramedics confirmed that she had died.

Ms Saunders said a post-mortem examination showed Ms Harris had suffered a brain haemorrhage caused by a

Francesca Harris was found dead at her home in Pengam Road in Aberbargoed

ruptured aneurysm.

She said Ms Harris could have had the aneurysm for “months or even years” without any symptoms.

Addressing Ms Harris’ family, she said: “Frankie would have died quickly and wouldn’t have suffered”.

Ms Saunders accepted the medical cause of death as 1A subarachnoid haemorrhage and 1b ruptured aneurysm of the right middle cerebral artery.

Ms Saunders recorded a conclusion of death by natural causes.