Coroner Issues Warning After Woman Dies From Ingesting Poisonous Plant Bought Online
Bury, Greater Manchester, UK – A university lecturer tragically took her own life after ingesting highly poisonous plant material purchased online from a ‘home interiors’ shop, an inquest has heard. The case has prompted a senior coroner to issue a rare and urgent warning about the unregulated sale of toxic products.
Carla James, 50, a mother of two from Tottington, Bury, was found deceased at her home on Market Street on August 18th last year following a welfare call from a concerned neighbour.
Rochdale Coroner's Court heard that officers discovered a black bin bag at Ms. James’ home, explicitly labelled ‘contaminated’. Subsequent analysis revealed it contained a lethal plant material. A pathology report confirmed Ms. James had ingested the substance, with her cause of death recorded as fatal toxicity from the plant.
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Deputy Chief Coroner Joanne Kearsley, has published a ‘prevention of further deaths’ report prior to the inquest. In it, she voiced grave concerns about how highly poisonous and toxic products are being imported and sold nationally, with no warnings. Following the evidence presented, Ms Kearsley formally concluded Ms. James' death was a suicide.
The inquest heard that the poisonous plant material was purchased online from a 'home interiors' store. Police enquiries confirmed the store owners were unaware of the product's toxicity and have since removed it from sale. Further investigation revealed the shop had bought the material in bulk from a wholesaler in Kent, who had imported it from the Netherlands.
Consultant and forensic botanist Dr. Mark Spencer attested to the extreme danger of the plant material. He told the court it was 'highly poisonous' to human beings and had a longstanding history with humans being killed or taking their own lives.
Police Coroner’s Officer Emma Campbell informed the court that analysis of Ms James’ phone revealed her last call was to PayPal on July 19th, 2024, and that she had conducted numerous internet searches in the preceding days regarding the plant material and its potential to be fatal. Notes found in her home also detailed that she had ingested the substance.
The court heard that Ms. James, a dedicated university lecturer, had battled with her mental health since her teenage years and had made previous attempts to take her own life. At the time of her death, she was under the care of the community mental health team.
Her son, Edward, gave evidence, explaining that his mother had been diagnosed with complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) approximately six years prior to her death. He described how she suffered from a 'series of trauma or prolonged trauma' which led to fluctuating symptoms including depression, anxiety, and flashbacks. The inquest was also told that Ms. James had experienced significant personal losses in the months leading up to her death, including the passing of her partner around eight months prior, and two of her dogs.
Graham Russell MBE, the Chief Executive of the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards, confirmed to the court that his department has commenced investigations into the product's safety, its import process, and whether mandatory warnings regarding its potential harm should be implemented.
Carla James, 50, a mother of two from Tottington, Bury, was found deceased at her home on Market Street on August 18th last year following a welfare call from a concerned neighbour.
Rochdale Coroner's Court heard that officers discovered a black bin bag at Ms. James’ home, explicitly labelled ‘contaminated’. Subsequent analysis revealed it contained a lethal plant material. A pathology report confirmed Ms. James had ingested the substance, with her cause of death recorded as fatal toxicity from the plant.
.jpg)
Deputy Chief Coroner Joanne Kearsley, has published a ‘prevention of further deaths’ report prior to the inquest. In it, she voiced grave concerns about how highly poisonous and toxic products are being imported and sold nationally, with no warnings. Following the evidence presented, Ms Kearsley formally concluded Ms. James' death was a suicide.
The inquest heard that the poisonous plant material was purchased online from a 'home interiors' store. Police enquiries confirmed the store owners were unaware of the product's toxicity and have since removed it from sale. Further investigation revealed the shop had bought the material in bulk from a wholesaler in Kent, who had imported it from the Netherlands.
Consultant and forensic botanist Dr. Mark Spencer attested to the extreme danger of the plant material. He told the court it was 'highly poisonous' to human beings and had a longstanding history with humans being killed or taking their own lives.
Police Coroner’s Officer Emma Campbell informed the court that analysis of Ms James’ phone revealed her last call was to PayPal on July 19th, 2024, and that she had conducted numerous internet searches in the preceding days regarding the plant material and its potential to be fatal. Notes found in her home also detailed that she had ingested the substance.
The court heard that Ms. James, a dedicated university lecturer, had battled with her mental health since her teenage years and had made previous attempts to take her own life. At the time of her death, she was under the care of the community mental health team.
Her son, Edward, gave evidence, explaining that his mother had been diagnosed with complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) approximately six years prior to her death. He described how she suffered from a 'series of trauma or prolonged trauma' which led to fluctuating symptoms including depression, anxiety, and flashbacks. The inquest was also told that Ms. James had experienced significant personal losses in the months leading up to her death, including the passing of her partner around eight months prior, and two of her dogs.
Graham Russell MBE, the Chief Executive of the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards, confirmed to the court that his department has commenced investigations into the product's safety, its import process, and whether mandatory warnings regarding its potential harm should be implemented.
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