A one-year-old kid died of dehydration after his mother, 27, died on Christmas Eve by inhaling lighter fluid, having previously fought with drug addiction.
Natalie Kane and her 14-month-old son Harry were discovered dead in their Whitehaven, Cumbria, flat five days after they failed to show up on Christmas Day at a friend’s residence.
In a sight that left paramedics clearly distressed, Harry and his mother were discovered dead days after their December deaths.
A investigator’s inquest heard today that the boy died of dehydration after being basically abandoned by his mother’s death from drug misuse.
Ms. Kane, age 27, had previously struggled with addiction, and her urine was tested one week prior to her passing and found to contain no narcotics other than her prescription methadone.
On Christmas Eve, she apparently chose to inhale lighter fluid, resulting in terrible consequences.
Ms. Kane grew raised in Cumbria and attended Maryport Primary School before joining the Sea Cadets, which enabled her to explore the globe, according to an inquest.
She also modelled for Littlewoods and entered the Army as a truck driver before being discharged for alcohol problems.
Ms. Kane struggled from depression for the most of her life and was getting assistance from agencies such as Recovery Steps Cumbria and Women Out West after enduring drug addiction and domestic violence.
A friend remarked that she was eager to avoid her ex-partner and Harry’s father, Nathan Ryan, in order to prevent recurrence of nasty behaviour.
All witnesses at the inquest who knew her described her as a kind and dedicated mother whose life centred around her son Harry.
The inquest was heard that she took him to the park every day and had no daycare because she wanted to be with him as much as possible.
Scott, her brother, remembered her delight when she discovered she was pregnant and said that she matured as a result.
Ms. Kane is not believed to have used drugs following the birth of Harry and has engaged with support programmes.
Prior to her death, she visited with friends and spent time with her brother, who had purchased a balancing bike for Harry as a Christmas gift.
Ms. Kane was ecstatic about celebrating her first “proper” Christmas with Harry and had purchased several gifts for him.
She had gone shopping at Tesco in Whitehaven and spending time with a friend on Christmas Eve.
The cancellation of a train prevented her from seeing her grandma.
She had intended to see another friend, Stacey Hackett, with Harry on Christmas Day, but she stopped responding to texts the night before.
Ms. Hackett said that she was unconcerned when the duo failed to appear, as this was not uncommon. She assumed that they had spent the day with their families.
It was also not uncommon for Ms. Kane to spend days without communicating with her family and friends.
The police were alerted on the 30th of December after Ms. Kane failed to pick up a prescription or make contact with any of the support services.
The police was unable to reach anybody at the address. He talked with residents of the adjacent Wellington Row apartments who remembered not seeing her for a few days. The neighbour immediately below reported hearing a continuously running faucet but no other sounds.
The officer was granted permission to enter the unlocked residence and found Ms. Kane lying in the living room next to unopened Christmas gifts.
A paramedic saw a material in her nose and lighter fluid bottles, both of which are indicative of drug abuse.
His corpse was discovered in the bathroom. The results of postmortem examinations indicate that the child may have lasted two to three days after his mother’s death before dying to dehydration.
In a statement summarised by the coroner’s assistant Margaret Taylor, Ms Kane’s brother said: ‘She was one of the best mams I’ve ever seen. She was so loving, thoughtful and caring. The last year of her life was revolved around Harry.’
Harry was known as a cheerful baby who adored his mother.
Concluding the inquest, the coroner said: ‘What we will never know is why Natalie used that butane. She’d done so well, she’d changed her life around, she clearly wasn’t abusing heroin which had been her drug of choice.’
She added: ‘Natalie Kane died at her home address on an unknown time between the 24th and 25th of December after succumbing to the effect of voluntary inhalation of butane.
Harry died of dehydration after being abandoned by his father after his mother’s death.