Mother of twins, 4, died after taking cocktail of painkillers, inquest hears 

Mother of four-year-old twins who suffered with anxiety during lockdown and was worried about her weight died after taking cocktail of painkillers, inquest hears

  • Leisa Foley suffered with back pain and concerns about weight, inquest heard
  • She was also suffering with mental health issues her sister told the hearing  
  • Told her doctor she was suffering from memory loss six days before she died 
  • For confidential support call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org 

A mother of four-year-old identical twins who suffered with anxiety during lockdown died after taking a cocktail of unprescribed painkillers.

Leisa Foley, 36, suffered with back pain and concerns about her weight, an inquest heard today.

She was also suffering with her mental health as she looked after her twin daughters at her flat in Plymouth, Devon, her sister told the hearing.

The Plymouth inquest was told the twins were not due to go back to nursery until August and a month before Leisa was suffering with anxiety and not sleeping well.

Leisa Foley, 36, suffered with back pain and concerns about her weight, an inquest heard today

She had a GP phone consultation six days before she was found dead in her bedroom in Plymouth, Devon, last July, and in that call she had memory loss and was ‘forgetting days’.

Pathologist Dr Deborah Cook said obese Leisa died from the combined effects of the pills she had been taking – three of which were prescribed and four she obtained from another source as they were not available over the counter.

Dr Cook said patients mistakenly believe they are in control of the strong painkillers but she said ‘they are very difficult to control’.

She said the morphine related drugs can ‘depress the brain and breathing function and can account for sudden death’.

Leisa’s sister Rachel Foley said both the twins suffered with a heart condition and Leisa developed PTSD after she witnessed one of the girls having a heart attack.

Pathologist Dr Deborah Cook said obese Leisa (pictured) died from the combined effects of the pills she had been taking

Pathologist Dr Deborah Cook said obese Leisa (pictured) died from the combined effects of the pills she had been taking

Rachel said: ‘Her mental state was not good with lockdown in the flat with both the twins. Who got the drugs for her? How was she getting them? Was she buying it off somebody?’

Her family said Leisa was ‘unhappy about her weight’ and suffering with her back pain but said she was a ‘brilliant mother to the girls’ and devoted to them and would not have taken her own life.

Police found jiffy bags with blister packs of pills in her flat.

Senior Plymouth coroner Ian Arrow said Leisa died from the combined effects of taking five painkillers.

He recorded a conclusion of a ‘drug related death’.

For confidential support call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org