Finding into death of Susan Maree Lawless

61y · Female·Complications of a rectal prolapse

Susan Maree Lawless, a 61-year-old woman with intellectual disability due to untreated phenylketonuria, died from complications of a rectal prolapse while residing in supported disability accommodation. She was found unresponsive in a bathroom early in the morning. Autopsy revealed a large rectal prolapse with mucosal excoriation, thickened mucosa, dilated vessels, focal thrombi and haemorrhage. The coroner found no relationship between her death and her status as a person in care. The clinical lesson relates to recognition that individuals with intellectual disability may have difficulty reporting or seeking help for acute medical conditions like prolapse, emphasising the importance of regular health monitoring and prompt investigation of unexplained changes in condition or access patterns in vulnerable populations.