Tierney, Beverley Ann

66y · Female·Drowning

Beverley Ann Tierney, a 66-year-old woman, drowned after slipping and falling from a moored cabin cruiser at Cooran Cove Resort. She was intoxicated with alcohol (206 mg/100ml) and under the influence of multiple drugs including diazepam, tramadol, and propoxyphene. The autopsy initially raised concerns as her lungs contained less water than typically seen in drowning deaths, prompting consideration of 'dry drowning' and possible foul play. However, expert evidence established that dry drowning was unlikely in saltwater conditions. The coroner concluded that her drug-affected state, poor health (including myocarditis), and limited water aspiration explained the atypical autopsy findings. She drowned quickly due to her compromised condition, unable to save herself after the fall. The death was accidental, not suspicious.