Deceased
Elizabeth Ann Higgins
Demographics
61y, female
Date of death
2011-03-14
Finding date
2017-05-04
Cause of death
Drowning due to asphyxia from saltwater ingestion
AI-generated summary
Ms Elizabeth Ann Higgins, aged 61, drowned at Little Howrah Beach on 14 March 2011. The coroner found she was an inexperienced swimmer who entered water beyond her depth. While her son-in-law Mr Lacroix shouted loudly at her during swimming (variously instructed to move away from rocks or go deeper), he did not immediately assist when she got into difficulty. Instead of raising an alarm or entering the water himself, he walked 50-70 metres to find another swimmer, Mr Moore. Although the coroner could not definitively establish this delay caused her death, he found it more likely that earlier intervention would have enhanced resuscitation prospects. Medical care by her GPs was appropriate; medication changes supported her recovery. Dissociative episodes and medical conditions were unlikely contributing factors. The coroner found concerning controlling behaviour by Mr Lacroix towards Ms Higgins prior to death.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
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