Mother-of-Two Dies of Cocaine Toxicity after Valentine’s Day Celebration
A young mother-of-two tragically lost her life due to ‘cocaine toxicity’ just two days after she went out to celebrate Valentine’s Day with her boyfriend. The incident took place in Wythenshawe, where paramedics discovered 26-year-old Charlotte Hibbert collapsed at her home on February 16. Despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Charlotte’s boyfriend was arrested as part of the investigation into her death, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) determined that there was ‘insufficient evidence’ to charge him with gross negligence manslaughter. An inquest into her death heard that Charlotte, who was known to occasionally use cocaine during social occasions, was in a happy mood when she went out with her boyfriend on February 14.
According to paramedics who responded to the call on February 16, they found Charlotte unresponsive on the living room floor of their Brooklands home on Sparkford Avenue. Despite attempting CPR, they were unable to revive her. During the subsequent post mortem, it was discovered that Charlotte had several bruises and lacerations on her upper arms, as well as bruising to a hand and scalp. However, the Home Office pathologist who conducted the examination stated that these injuries were not related to the cause of death and did not suggest any foul play or assault.
The toxicology report revealed that Charlotte had consumed cocaine ‘within a day or so’ of her death and that the drug had been taken in conjunction with alcohol. The cause of death was officially recorded as ‘cocaine toxicity.’ The investigating officer, Matthew Dixon, initiated a ‘special procedure investigation’ due to concerns expressed by paramedics about the circumstances leading up to Charlotte’s death. The paramedics noted that no attempts at CPR had been made prior to their arrival and suspected that Charlotte may have been deceased for longer than initially indicated.
Charlotte’s partner provided an initial verbal account at the scene, suggesting that he believed her drink had been spiked in the last bar they visited. DI Dixon submitted a file of evidence, but the CPS concluded that there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges of gross negligence manslaughter against Connor Duerden, Charlotte’s boyfriend. However, an investigation is still ongoing regarding allegations of possession of class A drugs.
Assistant coroner Andrew Bridgman delivered his findings, stating that Charlotte died at her home on February 16, having used cocaine within the previous day or so. Bridgman concluded that this was a drug-related death. He expressed his heartfelt condolences to Charlotte’s family, remarking that the loss of a child is an unbearable grief no parent should have to endure.
Following the hearing, Charlotte’s mother, Lisa Cliff, shared her thoughts with the Manchester Evening News, expressing her deep sorrow and the anguish of not knowing exactly what happened during those two days. Lisa also disclosed that her family has already suffered the devastating loss of her eldest son in 2014, heightening the impact of this recent tragedy.
It is essential to recognize the dangers of substance abuse and the devastating consequences it can have. This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the risks involved and the importance of seeking help and support for individuals struggling with addiction. The hope is that this devastating loss will raise awareness and inspire efforts to prevent further tragedies related to substance abuse.
