The girlfriend of a British soldier serving in Afghanistan hanged herself in an act of 'impulse' whilst suffering post natal depression after the birth of their daughter.
Lance Sgt Robert Kopicki discovered Linzi Mannion's body when he returned home from a tour of duty.
Miss Mannion, 29, had been decorating the newly-purchased house in time for her boyfriend returning from army duty the following day while three-month old Nancie was being looked after. 
She told friends she was excited for the return of Mr Kopicki and was looking forward to getting married and enjoying life at their new home in Kearsley, near Bolton, Greater Manchester.
She told friends she was excited for the return of Mr Kopicki and was looking forward to getting married and enjoying life at their new home in Kearsley, near Bolton, Greater Manchester.
But when Mr Kopicki got back to the family home, he discovered that she had taken her own life.
An inquest in Bolton was told Miss Mannion's depression began after the birth of her daughter and she was prescribed anti-depressants which seemed to be working. But in June, two months before her death on August 30, Miss Mannion, who also had an elder daughter, Maddalyn, first harmed herself as she ‘just couldn’t cope’.
Frequent home support from psychiatrists followed and her condition was thought to be improving.
Mr Kopicki, 28, who serves with the 1st Battalion Scots Guards told the hearing: 'I found out in September 2012 that we were going to have a child when I was going to Afghanistan. She coped very well when I was away.
'I spoke to her weekly and we wrote emails. I came back in February and we managed to go on holiday before our daughter was born on April 24. But after the birth Linzi began to suffer from depression.
'She had some anti-depressants from the GP which seemed to help her. In June she tried to harm herself but she was so upset and traumatised by that. She just couldn’t cope.
'We were looking forward to getting married. The house was getting decorated and I was coming home the following day.'
Friends who were with her on the day and evening of her death said she gave no indication she was contemplating harming herself again.
Mr Kopicki added: 'On the evening before I came home I spoke to her and we exchanged texts. She phoned me at 10.30pm when she was with all her friends. There was no warning of what was to happen. When I came home I found Linzi and she had died.'
Miss Mannion’s friend Lee Bleakley, who had known her since she was 18, was the last person to speak to Linzi. He was helping her decorate the house on the day of her death and they had a couple of cans of lager before he left at about 9.30pm.
Linzi went on to drink wine at friend Melina Pool’s house as she lived nearby, where she was described as being her ‘normal, jolly self’.
At 1.30am she called Mr Bleakley after leaving Miss Pool’s house. Giving evidence, he said: 'When I left at 9.30pm I knew she was going to her friend’s house.
'I was going home because I had to be up in the morning. Later I got a phone call from Linzi at about 1.30am and she said she wanted me to go round her house but I couldn’t because I had to be up early.
'I said I would come round in the morning before Rob came back home to help with the decorating, and that’s all I said. She seemed alright when I spoke to her but a little bit drunk. She just wanted me to go round and be there for her because she wanted the house done for Rob.
'We had been having a laugh and a joke that night and she was saying how happy she was with her kids. I have known her a long time so I would know if there was something wrong. She just seemed the normal Linzi to me.'
Tests showed Miss Mannion had 174 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of blood - more than twice the drink-drive limit.
Coroner Jennifer Leeming recorded an open verdict and said: 'There was no note, no interaction with her friends, nothing to indicate that she had the judgement at the time to intend and understand what she was doing.
'Clearly it was impulsive and taking these things together it seems to me I must record an open conclusion. Sometimes the evidence I need is from the person it is all about.
'I suspect if she could, she would say that she didn’t really mean it. Please accept my sincere sympathy for your loss.
Posted by Emanto Ngaloru Nov. 15, 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment