Mother of two died after falling down stairs while on holiday in Mayo

A THIRTY-five-year-old mother of two children died after falling down the stairs of her holiday home after she got up in the middle of the night to tend to a crying child.

Jessie Lawrence from Stratford-Upon-Avon in England died in Mayo University Hospital on August 18 last after suffering from a traumatic brain injury following a fall.

The inquest into Ms Lawrence's death which took place in Swinford Courthouse yesterday morning heard that she was staying in an AirBnB in Cong with her partner and two children. Her partner, Graham Toney told gardaí that she got out of bed at around 3.45am on August 16 to tend to a crying child when she fell down the stairs.

Ms Lawrence was found lying at the bottom of the stairs and bleeding from the ear and was brought to Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar but died in the Intensive Care Unit on August 18.

Garda Patrick Coen told Patrick O'Connor, Coroner for the District of Mayo that the scene was examined by the Garda Scenes of Crime investigators who found nothing suspicious about the circumstances of the death. He said they were satisfied there was no third party involvement in the fall.

Dr Tomas Nemeth, Consultant Pathologist who performed the post mortem said there were a number of fractures to Ms Lawrence's skull and she suffered from extensive haemorrhaging associated with brain edema. He said the cause of death due to brain herniation due to a traumatic brain injury and the injuries were consistent with a fall.

The inquest heard that Ms Lawrence's organs were donated following her death and Mr O'Connor commended her family for such a noble and generous act in the circumstances.

He recorded a verdict of accidental death as a result of a fall and expressed sympathy to Ms Lawrence's partner and children as well as her father Graeme and sister Liz who travelled to Swinford to attend the inquest.