Violet Smith not killed by burns at care home, inquest rules

Jun 18 2009 Dave Himelfield

In February this year, registered nurse Andrea Jarrett-Garrick and care assistants Jodie Atkinson and Danielle Schofield, who all worked at the home, were cleared of wilfully neglecting Mrs Smith – but the care home admitted liability.

Recording a verdict of natural causes Mr Whittaker said Mrs Smith died from bronchial pneumonia due to dementia.

He said forensic pathologist Professor Christopher Milroy, who conducted the post-mortem on Mrs Smith’s body, found that her burns, although “significant”, were intact and healing at the time she died.

Mr Whittaker said: “Having reviewed the medical evidence it is quite clear there was no causal relationship between the burns suffered at the nursing home following being placed on the commode.

“The burns sustained on the occasion were healing and unrelated to the cause of death. I determine Violet Smith died from natural causes.”

Mrs Smith’s son, Rodney, expressed his relief today that the inquest was complete.

He said: “What my mother went through in the lead up to her death was horrific – made all the worse by the fact that no one could explain to her why she was in such pain.

“Her Alzheimer’s meant she had no idea what had happened to her and of course meant she could not tell us. She screamed the place down in agony every time her dressing was changed in hospital or she had to be moved. It was so very distressing for both of us and it’s a five-week experience that will haunt me forever.”