Finding into death of Sonya Szala

49y · Female·Anorexia

Sonya Szala, 49, died from anorexia nervosa after suffering severe metabolic derangement and extreme emaciation. She became a recluse following her mother's death in 2016 and progressively deteriorated both physically and mentally. Her husband purchased large quantities of the potent laxative bisacodyl at her request over an extended period, which fuelled her eating disorder. Though Mrs Szala resisted medical intervention, the coroner found her husband should have refused to provide the laxative and sought urgent medical attention for her, particularly in the days/weeks before death. Expert evidence indicated that even at a late stage, hospitalisation and appropriate treatment could have been potentially salvageable. The coroner found Mr Szala's continued provision of the laxative and failure to seek medical assistance constituted contributing factors to her death.