Paracetamol overdose killed woman

Cheryl Harris, 20, had been living with boyfriend Darren Roberts in New Milton, near Southampton, when she took 36 tablets with some beer after an argument on July 9.

The inquest heard she called an ambulance while Mr Roberts was out trying to get a friend to speak to his partner as he was concerned about her.

Southampton Coroner's Court was told yesterday Miss Harris, who had recently suffered a miscarriage and had an abortion, was taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospitalby ambulance just after 10pm.

She told paramedics, who arrived at about 9.40pm, she had taken the tablets about two hours before she called them.

Staff at the hospital said Miss Harris, originally from Woodingdean, had been alert and coherent. She was advised to stay in hospital for further tests but discharged herself.

The following day, July 10, Miss Harris began feeling unwell again and called for an ambulance just after 9.30pm.

She was taken back to the Royal Bournemouth, where her condition rapidly deteriorated and tests showed her liver was beyond repair.

Miss Harris, who said she had not taken any more tablets, was rushed to the Kings College Hospital in London but died on July 11.

A post-mortem examination showed the cause of death was liver failure, caused by the paracetamol overdose.

Karim Hassan, an A&E consultant for the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, said blood tests in patients who had taken paracetamol overdoses were usually done four hours after they had taken the tablets, as this was the maximum saturation time for the pills, indicating the highest possible reading for the patient.

He said Miss Harris had had a relatively low level for a paracetamol overdose patient when the tests were taken at 11pm - four hours after she told them she had taken the tablets.

Mr Hassan added that the fact Miss Harris became ill the next day indicated she had actually taken the medication much later than she said.

The inquest was adjourned.