Coroner’s concern for families hit by suicide

Losing a loved one to suicide was a very distressing event for any family, the Galway Coroner’s Court heard last week.

Galway West Coroner, Dr Ciarán McLoughlin was speaking after hearing evidence in the first of three suicide cases before him where family members were visibly upset at the death of their loved one.

This was an Inquest into the death of a 52-year-old father of two who was found in a shed near his workplace last year after an alarm was raised when he hadn’t returned home from work.

Dr MacLoughlin returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence that he had died of asphyxia due to hanging.

No alcohol was present in the toxicology report nor was there any note left by the deceased man.

The second Inquest heard evidence of how a woman in her early fifties was found dead at her home last summer.

Evidence was given that the mother of two had a history of depression.

Dr McLoughlin returned a verdict of death by asphyxia due to hanging.

The Coroner’s Court also heard evidence into the death of a 33 year old man found hanging in a hotel room last September. He had been discovered by hotel staff.

He too had died of asphyxia due to hanging according to the pathologist, Dr Aoife Canning who added that a toxicology report showed some Diazepam, low level of paracetamol and some alcohol.

Dr McLoughlin extended his sympathies to the three families and acknowledged that suicide was a very distressing event for families.