Mother, 62, was discovered ‘secreted’ in a hole on a coastal path where she took her own life
Mother, 62, was discovered ‘secreted’ in a hole on a coastal path where she took her own life after growing increasingly concerned about ‘the rising cost of living and energy price rises’ having racked up £6,000 on her credit card, inquest hears
- Lorna Bartlett, 62, took her own life last year after struggling with anxiety
- At an inquest in Cornwall, her cause of death was ruled as suicide
- For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local branch
A mother worried about the rising cost of living and energy prices took her own life on a beach in Cornwall after suffering feelings of ‘hopelessness’.
Lorna Bartlett, 62, had driven to a beach where she liked to walk her dogs last February, an inquest heard today.
She then downed a stockpile of prescribed medication and ‘secreted herself’ into a hole next to a coastal path where her body was located a few days later.
Speaking at her inquest, Lorna’s family have said she suffered with anxiety and had been worried about rising bills with a £6000 debt on her credit card.
Lorna Bartlett took her own life on a beach in Cornwall in February 2022
Lorna’s body was discovered ‘secreted’ in a small hole on the beach
Lorna’s body was discovered by volunteer coastguard Stuart Richards who found a green Wellington boot and a pair of socks by a three foot diameter hole.
Inside the hole he found Lorna’s body on its back wearing leggings and a hoodie.
A post mortem examination found that the cause of death had been a mixed drug overdose having taken large amounts of prescribed drugs she had stockpiled.
Her partner David Coon said Lorna’s anxiety had got worse and she was worried about ‘rising energy costs.’
He also said at the time of her death her credit card had a £6,000 bill on it.
One of her sons, Aaron Bartlett, said that his divorced mum was worried about money and she had not worked for a year at her care home job because of her anxiety.
He told the hearing that ‘money was a struggle’ and she was concerned about the ‘rising cost of living and energy price rises’.
He said he and two of his brothers said they had offered to contribute more but she ‘never shared anything that was bothering her’.
Det Con Lucy Edwards told the coroner she did not know when Lorna took the massive overdose or why she crawled into the hole.
She speculated that Lorna may have been in pain and may not want to have been found.
Lorna had kept diaries in her house in which she documented her feelings of ‘hopelessness’
Diaries found at her home in Bugle, Cornwall, documented her struggles and feelings of ‘hopelessness’.
The detective said there were no suspicious circumstances.
Ruling her death as suicide, senior coroner for Cornwall, Andrew Cox, said it appeared Lorna ‘secreted herself in a hole’.
He said the circumstances were unusual and he was not sure why she did this apart from not wanting to be found.
He said her diary entries and the significant amounts of pills she took meant that he ruled she died of her own actions at her own hands.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised by this article, for confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.