A WOMAN was found dead at home after overdosing in a ‘drug-related incident,’ a coroner has ruled.

Rachael Marshall, 43, was found dead by a neighbour at her flat in Pierpoint Street, Worcester, on March 26 this year after overdosing on a “significant amount” of a prescription drug used to treat heroin and opioid addiction.

Worcestershire’s assistant coroner Nicholas Lane said there was no evidence that Ms Marshall had intended to take her own life and whether she deliberately took too much of the prescription drug or miscalculated the dose in a state of confusion was “not known.”

A post-mortem found a “very high level” of the drug in Ms Marhsall’s system.

Mr Lane said the 43-year-old had a “longstanding” addiction to opioids and drank alcohol “fairly regularly,” as well as mental health issues, a history of anxiety and depression and mobility problems due to a bad back, but had left no note and the limited information available meant he would be wandering into the “realms of speculation.”

In a statement, Rachel’s mum Christine described her daughter as “very happy and very friendly” who would help anybody she could.

The inquest held at Worcestershire Coroner’s Court in Stourport on Monday (September 11) heard she had spoken to her daughter on the phone in the days before her death, and despite initially saying she was stressed about her housing situation, Ms Marshall had felt better after the talk and the pair had arranged to meet up.

Mum Christine had tried to call Rachel on March 26 but after receiving no reply, drove to Worcester but again received no answer when knocking on Rachel’s door and, concerned for her daughter, called the police and left a note.

She was contacted by police around midday after concerns were raised about Rachel’s whereabouts and then received another call later that evening that she had been found dead.

It was a friend and neighbour that found the note and after looking through her flat window to see if she could see Rachel, found that Ms Marshall’s coat and keys were still there.

The neighbour managed to climb through a small window into the flat only to find Ms Marshall dead in her bathroom.

If you need help there are people you can speak to:

  • The Herefordshire and Worcestershire 24-hour urgent mental health helpline is available to anyone needing urgent mental health support. It's free to call and open 24 hours a day to people of all ages - 0808 196 9127
  • Worcestershire Safe Haven provides telephone support and face-to-face appointments to Worcestershire residents who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Call 01905 600400 any day of the week between 6pm and midnight for support and signposting
  • Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours