Methadone overdose suspected in baby death

An inquest has been opened into the death of a baby girl from a suspected methadone overdose in England.

Holly Agius was found by her mother Bonny Richards in “an extremely poorly condition in her cot” at her home in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, on January 12.

Gloucester coroner’s office confirmed today that an inquest into the 14-month-old’s death had been opened and adjourned to a date to be fixed.

Paediatric pathologist Dr Steve Wills of Sandwell Hospital, Birmingham, has been so far unable to ascertain the cause of Holly’s death in Trafalgar Mews, Coleford.

Police arrested Holly’s mother, 27, and a man aged 30, believed to be her partner, on February 6 for questioning. They will answer bail on March 5.

The girl was taken to hospital but medical staff were unable to save her.

Jo Grills, chair of Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children’s Board, confirmed it was to carry out a Serious Case Review into the circumstances surrounding the death of a young child.

Methadone is a liquid heroin substitute commonly prescribed to help addicts come off heroin.

Much of the small community is said to be in shock at the news.

Joan Waltham, 70, who is from the market town, told the Gloucestershire Echo: “The death of a baby is just such a terrible thing, it is tragic for the whole family. At such a young age you just don’t expect it, you always think that you will be the one to go before young children like that.”

Another resident, Linda Jones, said: “It sends shivers down me just thinking about it. What a terrible thing to happen.

An overdose can cause vomiting and breathing problems, leading to coma and death.

In June last year ex-prostitute Sabrina Ross, 30, from Bristol was jailed for five years for manslaughter after her son Rio died of methadone intoxication.

The city’s Crown Court heard that the 14-month-old boy had “free run” of the house.

Tests on his hair showed he had been exposed to the Class A drug for months before his death.