A 29-year-old mother died after taking cocaine and pulling her teeth in a manic state, an inquest has heard.
Kiera Kent passed away at her home in St Ive, near Liskeard, Cornwall, in July last year. She did so despite the help of paramedics Gemma Henderson and Leanne Gould, who attended the scene. Crisis. The inquest heard that Ms. Kent had problems with her wisdom teeth. After taking cocaine, she put her hand in her mouth and tried to pull out her teeth. She also scratched and pulled on her own skin.
After her passing, Kiera was described as the "life and soul" of her family and a loving person by all who knew her. She was a devoted mother to her five children and is missed by all who knew her.
Giving evidence at the inquest, DC Lindsay Cork told the court how a post-mortem report showed scratches and abrasions consistent with Kiera pulling at her own skin. There was also evidence that she had put her hands into her mouth, causing a significant injury.
DC Cork explained how Kiera's partner, Liam Crabtree, called the police after becoming concerned about Kiera's welfare. He spoke of how they had both used cocaine previously, and in the evening before Kiera's behavior became "bizarre and erratic". Her cause of death was acute behavior disturbance following cocaine use. Later in the hearing, it was said that cocaine use could have exacerbated a chemical and electrolyte imbalance leading to her death, Cornwall Live reports.
DC Cork then read through a police report that stated that Kiera and Mr. Crabtree had people over for a barbecue that day. They then put the children to bed once the guests left. After taking cocaine, Kiera climbed upstairs, and when she didn't appear, Mr. Crabtree became alarmed.
He climbed upstairs and found his partner lying on the pillow, surrounded by blood and with her hands in her mouth. Kiera then picked up a razor, and Mr. Crabtree wrestled her as she attempted to put it in her mouth. Mr. Crabtree then rang 999, telling the operator his partner was pulling her teeth out.
Police arrived and requested an ambulance, but responders arrived late. PCs Gould and Henderson handcuffed Kiera's hands in front of her to protect her. When she stopped breathing, they commenced CPR for 30 minutes before paramedics responded and she was pronounced dead.
Messages from Kiera's phone indicated she was having wisdom tooth pain. Giving evidence, PCs Gould and Henderson said they did all they could to save Kiera but wished ambulance help had turned up sooner. PC Henderson was visibly shaken while giving evidence. Kiera's family thanked the attending officers for their care and compassion, calling them "a credit to the profession". An IOPC investigation determined that there was nothing more that the officers could have done to help Kiera.
Concluding the inquest, assistant coroner for Cornwall Guy Davies said that after taking cocaine, Kiera's behavior became "bizarre and concerning". He said: "PCs Gould and Henderson found Kiera in a highly distressed condition, covered in blood, her hands injured, and drew after being thrust into her mouth. The officers attempted to restrain Kiera, but during the process, she stopped breathing. CPR was initiated by the officers, who summoned assistance and a defibrillator. Paramedics arrived and determined Kiera was dead at the scene. The two officers fought valiantly to save her life."
Mr. Davies explained that although Kiera's cocaine level was not in the toxic range, it is possible that it can cause death by creating an electrolyte or chemical imbalance. This is even when no anatomical reasons for death are apparent. Mr. Davies said that cocaine accounted for the medical episode that caused Kiera's death, confirming a drug-related death. Mr.
Davies offered his condolences to Kiera's family and expressed his thanks to PCs Gould and Henderson for their heroic efforts.
