A coroner in the United Kingdom has ruled that a 27-year-old Nigerian woman, Beatrice Solomon, died by suicide following an inquest into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Beatrice, a mother of one, was found unresponsive at her residence on Norris Road in Stanfield on March 4 by her husband, Damian Butler.
Evidence presented during the hearing showed that Butler had left home for work at about 4:30 p.m. and returned approximately two hours later, when he discovered his wife and alerted emergency services.
Police Constable Hinchliffe told the inquest that paramedics arrived shortly after the report was made, but Beatrice was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:21 p.m. Investigators found no evidence of third-party involvement.
The hearing revealed that Beatrice relocated from Nigeria to Stoke-on-Trent in November 2023 on a skilled worker visa and was employed as a care worker.
Her husband told the court that she had faced mental health challenges over the previous year, which he said were linked to ongoing issues involving Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
He also disclosed that he later became aware of two previous suicide attempts.
A pathologist, Dr Jones, informed the court that Beatrice died from oxygen deprivation.
Delivering her verdict, Coroner Li Hammond-Naylor concluded that Beatrice had intentionally taken her own life.
“It is clear to me that Beatrice had researched and planned how to take her own life. I can only extend my sincere condolences to Beatrice’s family and friends,” the coroner said.
Beatrice is survived by her young son and siblings.
