'Lovely' Middlesbrough mum died after drug use spiralled 'out of control'

A much-loved mum's drug use spiralled out of control after her daughter was taken into care, an inquest heard.

Middlesbrough's Natalie Lawrence died at her Falmouth Street home on on June 8, last year, after taking a combination of drugs. The mum's inquest was held at Teesside Coroner's Court on Thursday and heard Ms Lawrence started taking drugs when she was just a teenager.

Her aunt attended the hearing and described her as a "lovely and caring person" whose drug use spiralled "out of control" after her daughter was taken into care.

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Her statement reads: "Natalie was one of six children by my sister who sadly passed away around eight years ago. Natalie was a lovely caring and thoughtful person but from the age of 15 she became involved in drug use which was her whole lifestyle."

Her aunt said she last spoke to Natalie a few years ago via Facebook messenger and said her niece was having a difficult time as was "trying to sort her life out".

However, she said the 41-year-old began using drugs more after her child was removed from her care. She said: "After this Natalie went downhill and her drug use became out of control".

The inquest heard police and paramedics were called to the Teessider's home on June 8, last year, but she tragically passed away. Police confirmed they found no suspicious circumstances or third party involvement. Following her death, toxicological tests were carried out which revealed Ms Lawrence had taken a combination of drugs including morphine at levels "associated with fatality".

A post mortem was carried out by Dr Sowmya Venkatesan who gave a cause of death as "1a Bronchopneumonia, 1b central nervous system depression, 1c multi drug toxicity."

Assistant coroner Andrew Blair ruled Ms Lawrence's death was drug-related.