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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Louisa Gregson

Trans woman with a 'heart of gold' was finally living as 'her true self' - before she took her own life, inquest hears

A 40-year-old trans woman died after taking her own life at home, an inquest heard.

Isabella Bellusci, a website developer, had gender reassignment surgery on December 23, 2019 in Thailand.

Manchester Coroners' Court heard Isabella phoned her partner Jane McQueen on August 16, 2020 at 4.45am asking to be let in to the flat they shared in Whalley Range.

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She had been to a party with friends, and in a statement read out in court by Area Coroner for Manchester, Zak Golombeck, Ms McQueen said she appeared to be upset, but nothing to raise any immediate concern.

The court heard how Isabella, who had lived as a female for three years prior to her surgery, slept in another room that night and the following day August 17, when Ms McQueen got up at 7am, she was still in her room.

Mr Golombeck said that at lunchtime, Ms McQueen heard something on the computer and went in to the room to see if Isabella was awake.

She discovered that her partner had attempted to take her own life and rang emergency services who assisted her with CPR until they arrived, but Isabella was pronounced dead.

In a statement, her mother Anita Bellusci said Isabella had been very happy following her successful surgery in Thailand and described her as being happy "living life as her true self" and "in a good place" in her life.

She described her death as an "absolute shock."

Mr Golombeck said a post mortem had revealed Isabella had died of both asphyxiation and toxicity.

At the time of her death Isabella was said to have digested a number of prescribed and unprescribed drugs and alcohol.

Mr Golombeck explained that as Isabella, who was born in Blackburn and lived in Manchester, had not applied for and obtained a gender recognition certificate, he did not have the power to record her gender at the time of death as female.

He explained this was due to the births and deaths registration act 1953 and the 2004 gender recognition act.

He said: "I am aware this will come as a disappointment to say the least."

He said he felt on the balance of probabilities that Isabella had intended to take her own life and as a result he gave a short form conclusion of her death being as a result of suicide.

He offered his condolences to her family, who had listened to the evidence over a conference call and said: "I thank you for the dignity that you have shown throughout the proceedings.

"It must have been very difficult to hear the evidence I have admitted and the explanation."

Isabella Bellusci (unknown)

Jane McQueen told the Manchester Evening News Isabella had been answering questions from the trans community online in a bid to help people.

She said: " Bella truly was a star, one that shone very brightly and was extinguished very quickly.

"She will be missed by a lot of people because of the time and effort she put into helping other people and not telling anyone about she didn’t do it for praise or adoration, she did it because she wanted to help others be them true selves and that is a very admirable thing to do.

"She had heart of gold, and if anyone asked her a question she would do her best to find the answers to it for them.

"She was kind, helpful, compassionate, and cared about all her brothers and sisters trans folk."

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