Deceased
Laurence John Cox and Ryley Ann Cox
Coroner
Coroner Catherine Fitzgerald
Date of death
2023-09
Finding date
2024-08-28
Cause of death
Sodium nitrite toxicity
AI-generated summary
A 63-year-old man with a history of depression, anxiety, and chronic medical conditions including emphysema and blindness, and his 32-year-old daughter with depression, anorexia, and substance abuse, died from sodium nitrite toxicity in their home. The daughter researched sodium nitrite online, purchased it from a Polish website, and downloaded instructional videos. Both had prior conversations about suicide. The father had discussed ending his life with a friend approximately one year before, expressing he didn't want to suffer like his mother who died of cancer. The coroner found both intentionally ended their lives as part of a mutually agreed pact. The case highlights the accessibility of sodium nitrite via online purchase and the importance of early intervention in individuals expressing suicidal ideation and depression. No healthcare failures were identified as these individuals were not engaged with healthcare providers at the time.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
25y · Male·Combined drug toxicity
Harrison William Ladd, 25, died from combined drug toxicity involving clonazepam, dexamphetamine, codeine, diazepam and pholcodine. He had complex mental health and substance use disorder requiring specialist addiction c…
50y · Male·unascertained
Simon Gaskill, aged 50, was found deceased in sand dunes at Ocean Grove Beach in April 2022 after sleeping rough for months. He had been discharged from hospital in December 2021 following treatment for severe alcohol wi…
45y · Male·Gunshot wounds to the head and left shoulder
Justin Filardo, aged 45, with a 28-year history of schizophrenia, was fatally shot by police after assaulting his sister Bianca in her bedroom. In the weeks prior, Justin had ceased his clozapine medication without clini…
Source and disclaimer
This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.
Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. Some material may have been redacted or restricted by court order or privacy requirements. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.
Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries and tagging are for educational purposes only, may contain inaccuracies, and must not be treated as legal documents. We welcome feedback for correction — report an inaccuracy here.