A mum found her son and his partner dead in bed together, with a positive pregnancy test beside them, a court has heard. Claire White, 32, was staying with her long-term partner Mark Martin Sinton, 42, at his address in Prirory Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The bodies of the couple, who shared four children together, were found by Mark’s mother on February 21. They had been partners for 17 years and were found lying on top of each other in a state of undress.
Claire and Mark had a history of IV-drug use, including heroin, cocaine and methadone, as heard at an inquest held at the Sheffield Medico Legal Centre on Wednesday, November 5. The couple lived with Mark’s mother. Assistant Coroner Nathalie James told the court that the couple returned home from the town centre at around 5 pm the previous afternoon and did not speak with Mark’s mother, instead going straight to their bedroom.
Mark’s mother discovered their bodies the next day when she realised their coats had not moved. Mark’s mother said in a statement in court: “Mark had been in a relationship with Claire since 2007, and they had four children together. Mark has been in and out of prison since 16 and was a heavy drug user. They came to live with me after my husband died several years ago.”
She continued: “I went back into the room at around 3.15pm and found them. I shouted at them, but they didn’t respond. I knew they were dead. I didn’t see their faces.”
The pair were found on the floor in a state of undress. Ambulance services and South Yorkshire Police were called to the home and the couple were pronounced dead at 4.16pm. Police found a positive pregnancy test, a crack pipe and other drug paraphernalia at the scene.
The coroner ruled that both had died from 1A Heroin, Cocaine and Methadone toxicity. However, after extensive forensic post-mortems, it could not be determined which individual died first.
The coroner said that both had consumed heroin, cocaine and methadone before their deaths, which had a combined toxic effect and caused their deaths.
Mrs James said: “Based upon the evidence I have read and considered in detail, I am minded to consider a drug-related death. There was a long-established dependence on drugs, which was supported by the toxicology reports.”
