Woman died after ingesting substance ordered off the internet

A Blackburn woman died after ingesting a substance she had ordered off the internet, an inquest has heard.

Sophia Khan, 32, died at her home on October 7 after paramedics were not able to resuscitate her when she went into cardiac arrest.

An inquest at Preston Coroners' Court heard Sophia had suffered from mental health difficulties for around eight years.

Her mother, Susan Khan, contacted the NHS as she was worried for her daughter’s health, and Sophia was originally prescribed beta-blockers.

After going into hospital for a further assessment, it was decided the mental health home treatment team at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) would visit Sophia daily.

This was briefly reduced to every other day due to Sophia finding the visits intrusive but was changed back to once a day afterwards.

Susan said on the morning of Sophia’s death, she had seen her with a box and was told it contained oils and vitamins.

She then heard her retching and found her unresponsive.

Paramedics attended but she was pronounced dead shortly before 11.30am.

Debbie Berry, who was the lead investigator for the trust following Sophia’s death, told the court that throughout her time being seen by the home treatment team, Sophia had the capacity to refuse medication and she could not be forced to take it.

Ms Berry said capacity assessments are not taken unless there is a reason to believe the person does not have capacity.

Coroner Richard Taylor highlighted a lack of continuity of care for Sophia by the home treatment team.

She would be visited by different people each day and would repeatedly explain what was going on to different people, hence why she found the visits to be intrusive.

Mr Taylor also said the trust should have kept better records and correctly recorded the risk assessments undertaken which may have reflected a decline in Sophia’s condition.

Concluding, he said: “There is little doubt in my mind Sophia intended, by her actions, to end her life.

“The number of you who have attended today only proves to me how much she was loved and how much she is missed.

“To all those friends who stood by her, who helped her, I can only thank you for that.

“Mrs Khan, you could not have done any more. You probably did not get the help you needed and deserved, but you were the one rock in her life.”

Mr Taylor recorded a formal conclusion of suicide.