Diabetic teenager found dead in bed
A VERDICT of natural causes was recorded this week at the inquest on a diabetic teenager, who was found dead in bed.
Sophie Watson, aged 17, was outwardly healthy and a post mortem examination found no evidence of a cause for her "unknown and unexpected" death.
Pathologist Julian Burton said his best explanation was "dead in bed syndrome" due to her diabetes.
The inquest heard that Sophie, of Kerwin Close, Dore, had developed diabetes at the age of nine, but managed it with insulin injections.
Mr Burton said diabetes was known to attack nerves and it could have fatally damaged the vagus nerve responsible for regulating heartbeat. Sophie was found dead on Sunday October 5.
He said: "The literature calls it 'dead in bed syndrome'. The deceased goes to bed as normal and is found in an undisturbed bed the next morning.
"I'm aware some pathologists would describe death as being 'unascertained', or it could be due to a genetic abnormality. But others would share my view."
Sophie had complained of having a headache in the week before her death, but Mr Burton said he thought that was not significant.
The court heard she went upstairs just before midnight on October 4 and was found dead in bed at 11.20am the next day.
Sophie's mother, Clare, told the hearing her daughter had complained of having a cold but went to watch football on the Saturday anyway.
She said: "She was in an extremely good mood all evening. She was very happy and content girl, apart from having diabetes which she refused to let affect her life."
Coroner Donald Coutts-Wood said: "There has been some action or reaction of the heart. But it is unknown, unexpected, and there is no evidence for it."
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Weather for Sheffield
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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