Woman died at home of ‘drug-related’ factors, inquest told

A 25-year-old woman who lived alone in Lincoln^[1] died due to “drug-related” factors that caused acute kidney failure, an inquest was told. Samantha Catherine Jean Stout, died at home on August 6, 2022, following calls from her neighbour to 999 after she was “coming in and out of consciousness.”

An inquest into her death was held by coroner Paul Cooper at Myle Cross Centre on Friday, August 4. Her cause of death was found to be a direct result of acute kidney failure due to a combination of sepsis, bilateral pyonephrosis and the effect of prolonged low fluid and food intake, with a background of “repeatedly declining medical^[2] assistance” and a severe “ketamine-induced cystitis.”

A death report noted that Samantha had become increasingly short of breath prior to dying, and was grossly underweight. A toxicology report dated December 10, 2022, was read at the inquest, stating it found codeine and ketamine detected in her body, which combined would have caused the breathlessness which “contributed as a direct cause to her death.”

A report from Lincoln County Hospital from June 26, 2022, stated that she self-discharged herself from the hospital and wasn’t eating on the ward, and was brought back by Lincolnshire Police^[4].

A report heard at the inquest by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) states that on 6 August 2022 at 1.17pm, a 999 call was made by her neighbour as she was “coming in and out of consciousness” and a paramedic stood down because Samantha said she didn’t want any assistance. At 4.37pm, another paramedic was called and she was pronounced dead at 5.41pm, with nothing further that could be done.

EMAS said they had tried to keep her comfortable at home, and said: “Friends and neighbours were happy to stay with Sammy. We saw how well her friends had looked after her. They thanked us for our assistance and company.

“Sammy knew she was very near the end of her life and wanted to be at home.” A GP report by Doctor Keith Bailey at Woodland Medical Practice in Lincoln also found that she had been a victim of domestic abuse.

Mr Cooper concluded that the cause of Ms Stout’s death was drug-related, with Lincolnshire Police stating there were no suspicious circumstances. Mr Cooper said: “She substituted ketamine for food which caused 1B (Acute Pyonephrosis, Renal Microabscesses) and 1A (Acute Renal Failure, Sepsis).

“If she didn’t have ketamine in her system she wouldn’t have passed away in the moment she did.” Mr Cooper, concluding the inquest, said his “sincerest thoughts” go out to Samantha’s family and friends for their loss.

References

1. ^{^} Lincoln (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} medical (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} ‘Abnormal’ blood test results not investigated two weeks before 22-year-old died, inquest hears (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Lincolnshire Police (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)