Its heartbreaking Womans tragic stair fall weeks after sisters death

A FAMILY suffered an "unimaginable tragedy" when a company director died, accidentally falling down the stairs just weeks after her sister died unexpectedly from a thrombosis.

An inquest at Bolton Coroner's Court heard how 44-year-old Andrea Dunn was found lying at the bottom of the stairs of her Balmoral Drive, Blackrod, home by her former long-term partner Leanne Murphy.

Miss Murphy told assistant coroner Catherine Cundy how she had called at the house on the afternoon of April 9 after Miss Dunn had not replied to her messages but was unable to get into the property as keys were in the locks inside.

When she looked through the letter box at the detached house she spotted Miss Dunn lying with her head towards the door.

Miss Murphy used a brick to smash her way into the house through the back door and paramedics were called but Miss Dunn, who worked for her family's company, was dead.

A post mortem revealed that she had suffered a fractured skull and brain haemorrhage in the fall.

The inquest heard how Miss Dunn had used a recreational level of cocaine and therapeutic dose of an anti-depressant but had also taken a sleep sedative and and almost three times the legal level of alcohol for driving was found in her system.

Pathologist Jonathan Pearson stated that the sedative and alcohol intoxication may have led to poor reaction times and lack of co-ordination, contributing to the fall.

"It is likely to have played a part," he said.

The court heard that Miss Dunn, who was described as a keen golfer and runner, had been been drinking more and suffered anxiety and depression following the break up with Miss Murphy, her partner of eight years, in September last year.

The couple had been due to marry in February this year but the Covid pandemic put paid to their plans.

Miss Murphy told the inquest how, despite the split, they were in the process of reconciling at the time of the tragedy.

Miss Dunn's parents, David and Eileen Dunn, revealed that their daughter had struggled to deal with the separation and so went to stay with relatives in Surrey for several weeks, only returning in March to stay with them following the sudden death of her sister Karen.

On April 8 she left their house to go to work but instead went back to her own home in Blackrod.

Miss Murphy, who told how Miss Dunn sometimes sleepwalked, saw her there briefly just before 2pm when she went to collect her passport and they later spoke on the phone.

The next morning a cleaner could not get into the house and Miss Murphy, worried that a series of Whatapp messages she had sent the previous evening had not been answered, went to the house.

A police investigation concluded there were no suspicious circumstances and Ms Cundy recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

She offered her sympathies to Mrs and Mrs Dunn. "You have had unimaginable tragedy to deal with this year," she added.

Following the inquest Mrs Dunn said: "It is heartbreaking what has happened."

Her husband added: "Two daughters in six weeks â€" it has been a lot to accept."

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