Inquest told that deceased woman in Ballymun flat had not eaten for three days

An inquest into Rachel Peavoy's death from hypothermia in her Ballymun flat has heard that she had not eaten for three days.

A friend, Jacqeline Johnston, has given evidence that she knew the 30-year-old mother of two was dead when she found her lying on the floor of her bedroom on January 11 2010.

Dublin City Council insisted the heating was working when Ms Peavoy died of hypothermia in her Ballymun flat during very cold winter weather.

At its last sitting, a garda who attended the scene told the inquest the flat was freezing and an issue then arose as to whether the windows had been open or closed.

This evening Rachel's friend Jacqueline Johnston, who first discovered the mother of two's body, told the inquest that the temperature in the flat seemed normal.

She said there was a sickly, musty, smell so she opened windows before the ambulance arrived, like she always did when she found Rachel like this.

She said there was vomit in the sink and toilet and she knew from a phone conversation that Ms Peavoy had not eaten properly for three days.

The inquest continues.