Talented artist with health troubles died after overdose, inquest hears

Alice Laura Daley, aged 27, suffered from several health problems including the debilitating Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, a collection of disorders affecting the body's connective tissue.

An inquest into her death at Shirehall heard that she needed support from carers four times a day. On February 11 this year, shortly after a carer had left her home in Moneybrook Way, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury, Ms Daley took some medication.

After the overdose, Oswestry-born Ms Daley called the ambulance service for help and messaged friends saying: "I've done something stupid, I'm sorry, ambulance is on way, please pray."

She called the ambulance service at 2.10pm and was given "category two" priority. Medics arrived at 3.04pm, but Ms Daley was unresponsive. CPR was commenced, but they were unable to save her and she was pronounced dead at 3.54pm.

Several friends and members of her family were in attendance at the inquest. John Ellery, senior coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said he needed to ascertain whether or not Ms Daley deliberately intended to kill herself.

Those present said the fact she called the ambulance service for help and messaged friends demonstrated that she "didn't want to die". It was also heard that she had taken overdoses in the past as "a cry for help".

Family members also questioned why the ambulance service did not treat Ms Daley's call as a "category one" priority. Mr Ellery said he would write and ask for them.

"I'm not satisfied that she intended to kill herself," said Mr Ellery. He recorded a conclusion of misadventure.

Ms Daley's mother Carol said: "She was a very intelligent girl. She had an exhibition on at The Hive in Shrewsbury at the time. The Hive were very good to her. She will be missed."

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