Woman died after fall, inquest told

A Sutton St James woman died after suffering serious head injuries following a fall while drunk, an inquest into her death has heard.

Karen Page (66) died on January 11 after she was found unconscious outside her Sutton Road home.

She was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn where she was diagnosed with significant internal cranial injuries and then transferred to a specialist unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

In a statement to the inquest held at Boston Magistrates Court, neurosurgeon Dr Thomas Santarius stated that Karen had suffered bleeding on the brain and though her condition was initially stable following an operation, she was unable to regain consciousness.

The inquest heard she had a history of alcohol abuse and had vomited what emergency service workers believed to be alcohol in the ambulance taking her to King’s Lynn.

Delivering a verdict of death by accident, Lincolnshire coroner Paul Cooper, acknowledged that alcohol intake was a contributing factor to the incident and said: “Karen appeared to have an alcohol problem and on this occasion suffered an unseen fall outside the caravan park.

“Unfortunately it led to a traumatic brain injury and despite the best efforts of medical staff to save her, she died from a brain injury.

“I offer my sincere condolences to the family.”