Woman froze to death in grounds of Shrewsbury school, inquest hears
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Version 0 of 1. A young mother froze to death in the grounds of a primary school because she was too intoxicated to climb out over a 10ft (3m) high fence, an inquest heard. Charlotte Christodoulou who had been drinking and taking drugs, was found dead in a doorway at Harlescott junior school in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, on 4 January. An inquest heard the 23-year-old had entered the school grounds with friend Jamie Lloyd-Butler, 33, on 2 January to take a shortcut to a friend’s house. However, she could not climb the perimeter fence. Lloyd-Butler did escape but when he returned to try to help, he could not find her. The inquest heard Christodoulou was disoriented and unable to find her way out of the school grounds in the cold and dark. Pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar told the hearing she was able to withstand the sub-zero temperatures longer than usual because she was intoxicated. But he said Christodoulou – who was only wearing thin clothing in the freezing conditions – died of hypothermia in the early hours of 4 January. Kolar added: “Hypothermia is not a quick death.” He said toxicology tests showed she had diazepam, cannabis, cocaine and morphine in her system. He said: “She was not lying there conscious and functioning. Due to the drugs in her system her natural functions would have been reduced.” Giving evidence at the inquest, Lloyd-Butler denied that he had left his friend to die. He told the hearing he had returned to the school – shut because of the Christmas holidays – the next day after receiving a worried phone call from Christodoulou’s mother but said he could not find her. Lloyd-Butler added: “I wouldn’t just leave her there. I went back because her mum had telephoned asking where she was. I contacted the police and I went out looking for her but I could not find her.” The coroner for Shropshire, John Ellery, recorded a verdict of death by misadventure. He said: “It was a freezing cold night and Miss Christodoulou was not wearing thick clothing. “She was [disoriented] and confused. She and Mr Lloyd-Butler entered the playing fields. They reached a high fence. Only Mr Lloyd-Butler was able to get over the fence. “Miss Christodoulou could not and she remained in the playing fields area of the school. Mr Lloyd-Butler said he was going to come back and help her over the fence. “He says he did go back and she had gone. Given where she was found, she went to try and find a way out but there was no way out, she was trapped.” Two men aged 32 and 29, and a 31-year-old woman were originally arrested on suspicion of murder and obstructing a coroner after the body was discovered. But the trio were later released without charge and police said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the death. |