Coroner rules woman died due to asphyxiation

Sonia Resua, 45, was found dead by her shocked husband in her chair at their home at Whitehedge Drive on the morning of May 31. He had arrived home and gone to their bedroom the previous evening, leaving her, he assumed, asleep in the chair. She had a plate of mushrooms and steak beside her. He was “very shocked and upset” when he awoke to find her still in the chair, slumped over and cold.

The inquest into her death on September 22 heard that Mrs Resua was “a stunning girl with a great personality, a great care worker and the best mum in the world.”

Herts Coroner Edward Thomas said that the “very caring” woman had begun to drink alcohol and take painkillers after leaving her role as an aged care worker upon developing hip and foot problems. Mr Thomas said a post-mortem had shown some signs of liver disease and Mrs Resua’s lungs had been congested. She had a disease relating to alcohol, he said.

He attributed her death to asphyxiation caused by food obstructing her larynx.

He also said further contributing factors were pain-killers and a high level of alcohol in her system.