A woman was found dead at her home after telling relatives she was going to take some medication and have a bath to ease some pain.

Patricia Charles, of River Court, Purfleet, had been staying with her brother and sister-in-law over Christmas but seemed a little depressed and returned home early in January.

The 51-year-old, who was out of work due to depression, told her relatives she would be returning but when they did not see her for the next couple of days, they began to worry.

Sister-in-law Marina Morton told the inquest at Chelmsford's Shire Hall: "She told us she was going home to ease the aches and pains and have a bath.

"I didn't hear from her and started ringing but she didn't answer and I knew something wasn't right."

Marina and her partner Peter Charles went to the house and found Patricia dead on her bedroom floor with a brown bottle of tablets nearby. Police said the body was cold and it was assumed she had been dead for some hours.

A post mortem revealed she had suffered from heamorrhagic pulmonary oedema - fluid build up in the heart - and a methadone overdose.

Forensic scientist Pauline Lax said the methadone was likely to be the cause of her death as she was not a regular user and was contributed to by the heart condition.

Marina added: "She had been suffering from depression but it wasn't that noticeable. I just cannot see she would deliberately do that."

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: "I have heard all the evidence and I am not persuaded she did really intend to take her own life."

An open verdict was recorded.

Published Tuesday, March 5, 2002