St Albans woman's roof-fall death

A MUCH-LOVED consultant paediatric psychologist died after a fall from a roof in a fluke accident. Mother-of-three Alixe Kent, 72, of Marshal s Drive, St Albans, died after climbing out of her bedroom window onto the flat roof of an extension at her home

A MUCH-LOVED consultant paediatric psychologist died after a fall from a roof in a fluke accident.

Mother-of-three Alixe Kent, 72, of Marshal's Drive, St Albans, died after climbing out of her bedroom window onto the flat roof of an extension at her home to measure up for solar panels.

An inquest into her death yesterday (Wednesday) heard that while she was intent on taking measurements she missed her footing and fell into the garden three metres below.

Neighbours rushed to help, an ambulance was called and Mrs Kent was able to tell them she had fallen.

She was taken to hospital on June 14 this year and was found to have broken her ribs and pelvis. But she also complained of abdominal pain and her blood pressure dropped to a dangerously low level.

Internal bleeding was suspected and surgeons were forced to operate to try to control it but it was further complicated by an underlying condition which meant Mrs Kent's low platelet count made it difficult for her blood to clot.

Her condition deteriorated and she died the next day.

Pathologist Rowena Smith gave cause of death as multiple fractures causing the internal bleeding complicated by the underlying condition which exacerbated the blood loss.

Coroner Edward Thomas said Mrs Kent had been an active woman who played golf and tennis every week, cycled regularly and was a keen bridge player. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mrs Kent leaves three sons - Philip, 49, Rolfe, 45 and Crispin, 42. After the inquest the family issued a statement explaining that Mrs Kent had missed out on higher education because of dyslexia and decided to do a degree in psychology at the aged of 45.

She rose to become one of the leading paediatric consultant psychologists in the South East, helping a great many children and their families.

She was still working at Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge, and was a central figure in the lives of the children and staff there.

The statement added: "Alixe was very close to her sons seeing them frequently and chatting by phone, and was close too with her cousins and several friends she had made in St Albans and elsewhere. She was a loyal friend, a strong believer in family ties, very British, traditional and eccentric, and very warm hearted.

"She is missed for her kind and sensitive listening, her wicked sense of humour, her joie de vivre, and her considerable wisdom. But mostly she is missed for just being her.