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Cannock mother's body found by police after suicide

A mother of two who suffered from mental illness hung herself a few days before Christmas, an inquest heard.

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Jodie Lee Timmins, 29, from Heath Hayes, Cannock, had battled with depression and excessive drinking for a number of years prior to her death on December 22, 2015.

An inquest at Cannock Coroners Court heard that Jodie, who had recently split up with her partner, had called the police to her home to investigate criminal damage caused by the partner on the evening before she died.

As the damage was allegedly done a few days before her call, police did not visit her home until the next morning, when they received no answer.

After consulting with her medical health advisors and family, who informed officers of her history with self-harm, police knocked down her door to find her dead.

Coroner Andrew Haigh returned a verdict of suicide at the inquest, where it was heard that she had left three notes to her family.

The coroner said: "Jodie had a number of problems in her life, including excessive alcohol intake at times, mental health issues, difficulties with her children and trouble in her relationship.

"After hearing evidence from police officers and mental health professionals regarding the circumstances surrounding her death, I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that she took her own life.

"I would like to convey my sincere sympathies to her family.

"Although there were problems in the past, at this time it did not look like this was something that she would do, nobody expected this."

The inquest heard that Jodie had a short voluntary admission to South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in November 2015, where it was decided that she didn't warrant formal admission and was showing no signs of suicidal thoughts.

On December 17, she had taken a large amount of Calms tablets and was again admitted to hospital, however it was decided that this was not a suicide attempt.

After she was found by police officers, toxicology reports indicated that there was no alcohol in her system and only a small amount of traced prescribed drugs.

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