‘Tragic accident’ caused woman’s death

A SECOND post mortem was conducted on a woman who fell down the stairs, after concerns were raised about her injuries, an inquest has heard.

However, Cork City Coroner’s Court ruled the woman’s death, last June, was a tragic accident.

Gardaí, the inquest heard, had requested a second post mortem on the body of Majella Kelly, aged 51, of 9, Kincora Close, Ballina, Co Tipperary.

Shannon-based Detective Sergeant Michael Houlihan told coroner Myra Cullinane that following a full investigation, gardaí were satisfied that Ms Kelly lost her footing and fell head first down the stairs.

“We are perfectly satisfied there was nothing suspicious about this death. It was a tragic accident,” he said.

Ms Kelly, a legal secretary, and her husband, Sean, were watching the Late Late Show on May 27 last, having enjoyed a few drinks earlier in Donovan’s pub.

Their children, Terri, aged 16, and Stephen, aged 14, returned from a youth club at around 10.30pm.

Ms Kelly and Terri then had a row about cleaning up the kitchen and Terri went to her bedroom. Ms Kelly followed her upstairs and asked her to finish cleaning pots. Terri then walked back down the stairs.

She was about four steps from the bottom of the stairs when she heard a thump.

“I jumped down and turned to see mum tumbling down head first,” Terri said.

“She hit her head off the bookshelf at the bottom of the stairs and just made this noise. I lifted her head, blood came out of her left ear. I started screaming.”

Ms Kelly was semi-conscious and talking. An ambulance brought Ms Kelly to Limerick Regional Hospital. Her condition got worse and she was transferred to Cork University Hospital. Ms Kelly was pronounced dead on June 4.

Prof Cillian Doyle carried out the first autopsy at CUH and found Ms Kelly had died from fractures to the skull and associated haemorrhaging and lacerations to the brain.

Gardaí requested a forensic post mortem which was carried out at CUH by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster on June 6.

Ms Bolster found Ms Kelly died from head injuries consistent with falling down stairs. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.