A former teacher, suffering from motor neurone disease, died after she fell from the top of the stairs in her Shirley home and fractured her spine, an inquest heard last week.
Judith Pratt, 54, of Ash Road, Shirley, was discovered by her dog walker Gina Iles, who arrived at her home shortly before midday on July 19, this year.
Mrs Pratt was taken to Bromley hospital where it was discovered she had fractured the top of her spine, and then transferred the next day to King's College hospital in Camberwell.
Coroner Selena Lynch sitting at Southwark Coroner's Court on Tuesday, October 30, heard that after assessing Mrs Pratt's condition, doctors decided not to operate and she died on July 23.
A post-mortem gave the cause of death as respiratory failure due to the neck fracture and debilitating motor neurone disease.
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death, before extending her sympathy to Mrs Pratt's family.
November 6, 2001 10:00
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