An undiagnosed heart condition killed a mum-of-five in the bath as her family said she "was loved more than she will ever know".
Robert Jones found his beloved partner Claire Louise Bevan at their home in Cheshire on Sunday February 2, 2019 when he noticed flooding in the hall.
An inquest into the 31-year-old's death found that she had been suffering for an undiagnosed heart condition.
Robert told Warrington Coroner’s Court that he "knew straight away" when he saw Claire that she was dead.
Care assistant Claire had a night out on the Saturday with her best friend Shaunie Buckleya as the pair spent time visiting karaoke bars and Claire sang a song by the band Foreigner, the Liverpool Echo reports.
In a statement to court, Shaunie said they then returned "in high spirits" to Widnes to wind up their night at The Cornerhouse, before becoming separated and heading home separately.
Heath Westerman, assistant coroner for Cheshire, read medical evidence from Claire’s GP based at Grove House Practice, which said Claire had previously had depression but was not on medication for it, and had been prescribed the painkiller Tramadol for abdominal pain.
The cause of Claire’s death was initially deemed “unascertained” as there were no clear clues as to how she died.
Toxicology tests showed she had consumed a “moderate” amount of alcohol, about double the legal drink-drive limit for comparison, and no illicit substances or medication.
This uncertainty prompted Mr Westerman to ask Mr Jones if he had any information that might assist Dr Cheng Li, pathologist, to form a conclusion of how she came to die.
Mr Jones said Claire had complained of chest pains in late 2019 but it seemed related to anxiety.
Claire’s father Ian Bevan told the inquest she had divulged to him she had suffered chest pains “from time to time”.
Mr Bevan said: “The only thing I know of is she did from time to time have chest pains, and I would go to see the kids and she’d say ‘I’ve got pains in my chest but they do pass.
“I said ‘have you seen the doctor?’ and she said ‘Dad I will’.”
The coroner read evidence from Detective Sergeant Henderson Pierre, who found no injuries or signs of suspicious circumstances and was informed she had experienced chest pains and had been taking painkillers for a knee complaint.
Dr Li said the fresh witness evidence indicated Claire had “a history of chronic chest pain”, and he concluded she died from “lymphocitic myocarditis” - meaning sudden loss of heart function - and “moderate intoxication”.
Mr Westerman accepted that cause of death for the inquest conclusion, recording that Claire Louise Bevan died at home on February 2, 2020.
On “a few occasions” she told him she had “awful pains in my chest”.
In his concluding comments, he said: “It’s always distressing when a pathologist is not able to provide a medical cause of death after all the information they’ve had, and it’s always really beneficial to hear from a pathologist, and this is one example where by calling a pathologist and hearing further evidence, he’s able to provide a medical cause of death, which I’m sure will be one you accept and at least know how Claire passed away.”
Speaking after the hearing, Claire’s father Mr Bevan paid tribute to his daughter, telling the ECHO: “She was loved more than she will ever realise, and my greatest regret is you’re not supposed to outlive your children.
“She was loved more than she will ever know.”
