A woman who was discovered collapsed on the street near her mother's house from a suspected cocaine overdose died 2½ weeks later, an inquest heard yesterday.
Catherine Cooney (28), of Drumalee Road, North Circular Road, Dublin, died at Dublin's Mater hospital on September 2nd, 2006, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard. The mother of two was discovered lying on the road near Aughrim Church on August 17th, 2006.
Ms Cooney was brought to the Mater's A&E in a comatose state following a cardiac arrest. She was admitted to the intensive care unit with evidence of brain swelling and clots in the lungs, and was seen by a range of medical experts. Her condition was further complicated by pneumonia, the inquest heard.
Ms Carmel Cooney, Ms Cooney's mother, told the court that her daughter had no shoes, socks or jacket on when she was discovered, and "it was like someone was after taking her out of a flat and dumping her". There were no witnesses to the event.
Ms Cooney suffered a number of cardiac arrests and died on September 2nd.
Pathologist Dr Michelle Harrison found that Ms Cooney died from swelling of the brain due to cardiac arrest due to a suspected cocaine overdose.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell told the court that the cardiac arrest and brain swelling were related to a drug overdose, and while he was not sure what drugs were involved, (Ms Cooney had been in hospital for over two weeks before she died and a toxicology screening could not be carried out), he said it was a suspected cocaine overdose.
He said doctors believed Ms Cooney sustained a cardiac arrest and during that she sustained brain damage.
There were no suspicious circumstances.