A “TRAUMATISED” mum took her own life a week after she was arrested over a car accident, an inquest heard.
Paulina Szafert, 41, was discovered dead in her bed by a friend after leaving a note asking someone to look after her beloved French Bulldog Fifi.
An inquest heard the mum-of-one had been involved in a car accident that left her “very stressed and physically shaking”.
Her friend Alicja Fabisiak told the court Paulina had suffered mental health problems in the past and the crash had really “impacted” it.
She said she spoke to the beautician and security guard the day before her death and she sounded like she had “just woken up”.
Paulina told Alicja she had slept for 14 hours after taking some sleeping tablets which had “knocked her out”.
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The mum said she was going out shopping and sent her a message later saying: “Have a good night and see you tomorrow.”
But Alicja became worried when she did not hear from her so went to Paulina’s home in Christchurch, Dorset, on June 9.
The inquest heard she could hear Paulina’s dog Fifi barking so went to a neighbour to get a key.
Alicja tragically found Paulina lying unresponsive in bed, with police later finding large quantities of painkillers on a table.
A post-mortem revealed “extremely high” levels of a painkiller and other pharmaceuticals in her blood.
Paulina’s son Kacper, 22, told the court how his “amazing” mum “always put everyone else before herself”.
He said he had seen her just days before she was found dead and she had seemed “fine”.
Kacper told the inquest Paulina had been left “traumatised” by the car accident and subsequent arrest.
But he said there was “no way” his mum would have taken her own life because she would not leave Fifi.
How to get help
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
The coroner ruled Paulina’s tragic death as a suicide.
Tributes flooded in for the mum including from her colleagues from Vanguard Security Services.
They said: “She was full of life – she loved being in the sun working on her tan, always had her lashes done, and proudly did her own nails to perfection.
“If you knew Paula, you knew she adored her Frenchie, Fifi. Above all, she deeply loved her son, Kacper, who was the light of her life and her greatest pride.
“We are truly heartbroken by her loss.”
Anyone affected by this article can contact the Samaritans free any time on 116 123
