Alcohol led to death (From Stroud News and Journal)

Alcohol led to death

A 28-year-old woman died after a drinking binge which left her with seven times the legal alcohol level in her body, an inquest heard on Wednesday.

Dallas Smith, of Albany, Stonehouse, who had turned to drink because of the pain she suffered from a childhood road accident, was found dead face down on her bed with two empty bottles of vodka nearby on December 23 last year.

The Gloucester inquest heard from her mother, Theresa Mayo, that as a child Dallas was involved in a serious road accident that left her with six fractures on the left side of her body.

She was in plaster for two years after the accident and had been in persistent pain ever since, said her mum.

Mrs Mayo said her daughter had financial difficulties.

Mrs Mayo said she was unaware how much her daughter had been drinking and when she discovered the level she tried to get her help.

Mrs Mayo said she had discovered her daughter's body after returning from work.

A GP said doctors had discovered that Miss Smith had a grossly abnormal liver function in September last year due to her excess drinking.

Police confirmed that no suicide note was found and blood tests showed there were no other drugs apart from alcohol in her system.

Cotswold coroner Lester Maddrell said: "It is very sad that this talented 28-year-old should have died in this way.

"She had a long standing problem with alcohol and I have no doubt at all that the reason for this was the accident she suffered in her teens that left her in pain.

"She did drink an excessive amount and am satisfied that it caused her death but I am equally satisfied that it was not her intention to die at all."

Verdict: Misadventure