The death of Bernadette Mary Connolly, a Dublin woman whose body was discovered earlier this year on a beach in Blackpool, has been described as a mystery during an inquest in England.
The 49-year-old was reported missing on January 7 after her jacket and bag were found on Donabate Beach.
A few weeks later, on February 4, a body washed up in Blackpool and DNA analysis confirmed it was Bernadette.
The tragic mother, of Berwick Avenue in Dublin, was last seen being dropped off by a taxi in the car park of the Shoreline Hotel in Donabate shortly before noon on January 7.
She walked to the entrance to Donabate Beach and took a photo of Malahide Bay with her phone less than an hour later.
Her jacket and handbag, which contained her cell phone, were later found on the beach.
An inquest was held at Blackpool Town Hall on Tuesday and reported by Lancashire News.
Senior coroner Alan Wilson heard that Ms. Connolly had “no mental health problems” and her family insisted that she should not have taken her own life.
The coroner said: “Bernadette Connolly went unexpectedly missing on January 7.
Her clothing was found on Donabate Beach and despite an extensive search, she could not be found until the afternoon of Friday, February 4, when her body was found near the sea wall.
“This lady had been found because the tide had abated and there was nothing to indicate that she had been the victim of a crime.
“She probably went into the sea, but it cannot be determined how or why.
“This lady had a lot to look forward to; she had a new career, she had no financial worries, she had a loving family, she had a merry Christmas, and she had recently paid her health insurance. Did she die by her own actions or did she intend to end her life? I can’t say that.”
An investigation, led by Gardaí with assistance from Lancashire Police, concluded that there were no suspicious circumstances or indications of third-party involvement in Bernadette’s death.
A pathologist was unable to determine a medical cause of death due to the “extensive decomposition” of her body.
In a report to the coroner, Dr Ellen Jones, Bernadette’s GP, said the Dublin mother “never said anything about ending her own life”, adding that the day before she disappeared, she had a “not insignificant” contribution to her health insurance. premium.
The investigation found that Bernadette, who worked as a security staff at Dublin Airport for 17 years, lived with her parents and her daughter Jade, who her beloved mother described as “intelligent, independent and kind”.
In a statement, she said: “Our bond is unbreakable, it’s so, so strong. We are the best of friends who have laughed a lot, cried a lot, shared highs and lows.
“Countless memories that will live on forever and I promise to make many more for both of us. I wanted to say how proud I am to be your daughter. My teacher, my protector, my world.”