A MUM-of-three was found dead in her boyfriend’s bed after taking too many painkillers to treat her chronic back pain, an inquest heard.
Amie Barnes, 37, had shared a bottle of wine and takeaway with partner Jack before going to sleep.
The following morning, Jack left his home in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire early for work, and said goodbye to Amie.
An inquest heard he returned to find the midwife face down in bed and tragically realised she had died when he went to check on her.
Police initially treated Amie’s death on July 25 as suspicious due to a suggestion of a facial injury and blood on her mouth.
But this was later found to be pooling of blood and contouring caused by Amie falling asleep with a vape underneath her.
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Toxicology showed Amie, who had three children aged seven, 12 and 19, had taken several painkillers before her death but no natural cause of death was found.
Preston Coroner’s Court heard Amie was prescribed different painkillers to manage her chronic back pain while she was on the waiting list for spinal surgery at Salford Royal Hospital.
Assistant Coroner Richard Taylor said although individually the painkillers wouldn’t have caused her death, “the concomitant use may have caused significant sedation which, in the absence of any other cause, may have resulted in her death”
Returning a conclusion of misadventure, he added: “It seems to me more likely than not that this was unintended and that is what we call misadventure; death is the unintended consequence of an intended act.
“She may have intended to take painkillers, she was in pain, she has had a drink and may have taken more than was sensible, and that is not being judgemental.”
After Amie’s death her friend Olivia Drinkwater, who works as a nurse at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, helped to organise for Blackpool Tower to be lit up in her favourite colour, pink.
Olivia said at the time: “Amie was so lovely, she was one of the kind-hearted people who everyone warmed to.
“She was like breath of fresh air, so loving, humbling and caring and she is so very missed by her family and friends.
“It was so unexpected when she died, we were all devastated. Amie worked at Blackpool Vic as a midwife for many years and recently had been working at Preston as a midwife.
“She had also worked as a bereavement midwife as well. She gave such a lot to Blackpool.”