Woman died of suspected cocaine overdose

A YOUNG woman who was discovered collapsed on the street near her mother’s, died two and a half weeks later from swelling of the brain due to cardiac arrest, due to a suspected cocaine overdose.

Catherine Cooney, 28, of Drumalee Road, North Circular Road, Dublin 7 died at Dublin’s Mater Hospital on September 2, 2006, Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard.

The 28-year-old mother of two was discovered lying on the road near Aughrim Church wearing just her tracksuit bottoms and a Tee-shirt on August 17, 2006.

Ms Cooney was brought to the accident & emergency department of the Mater Hospital in a comatose state following a cardiac arrest. She was admitted to the intensive care unit with evidence of brain swelling and clots in the lungs and was seen by a range of medical experts.

Her condition was further complicated by pneumonia, the inquest heard.

Mrs Carmel Cooney, Ms Cooney’s mother, told the court that her daughter had no shoes, socks or jacket on when she was discovered and, “it was like someone was after taking her out of a flat and dumping her”.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell told the court that the cardiac arrest and brain swelling were related to a drug overdose and while he was not sure what drugs were involved, he said it was a suspected cocaine overdose.

There were no witnesses to the incident, but the doctors believe that Ms Cooney sustained a cardiac arrest and during that she sustained brain damage, he said.

There were no suspicious circumstances. She was also on a methadone programme. A verdict of death by misadventure was recorded.