Woman with history of depression stood in front of train, inquest told
A WOMAN with a long history of depression and drug abuse committed suicide by stepping in front of a train, an inquest was told.
Clair Walker, 38, killed herself on the tracks near her home town of Ivybridge.
Deputy Coroner for Plymouth Andrew Cox was told she had been under psychiatric care for years and had used illicit drugs, including heroin. She had a history of self-harm.
But her mother and a consultant psychiatrist who both saw her in the days before her death said there was no sign she was suicidal.
Mum June Boardman said: "I thought she had turned a corner."
She added that they had been shopping together two days before her death and she had even bought her daughter a coat as an early Christmas present.
The inquest was told a Plymouth to Paignton train travelling at 60mph hit Miss Walker on tracks near Ivybridge just after 5am on November 26 last year.
Mr Cox ruled she died from multiple injuries and would have been killed instantly.
He added that suicide notes had been left at her flat in Harford Road and ruled that she had taken her own life.
Mr Cox said that her family had been "very supportive".
He added that no logic could be applied to the actions of someone suffering from a mental illness.
Consultant psychiatrist Stuart Maclaren of the Devon Partnership Trust said that when he had seen Miss Walker 48 hours before her death, she was "relatively well-focused on the future".
He said that in hindsight, there was nothing he could have done anything differently to prevent her death.
Born in Totnes, Miss Walker went to Ugborough Primary School and Ivybridge Community College.
She had worked in several residential care homes for elderly people, but had recently been unemployed.
Mrs Boardman described her daughter shortly after her death as "wonderful" and "caring".
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by Steve, Millbay
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 8:05PM
“Very tragic. An example of the society that we live in today, and proof that the Mental Health Services are just not funded enough.”
by Katy, South hams
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 7:49PM
“This has got rather heated !
I have never agreed with Mick until now but he was being nice.
It's hard not to think of suicide as being a selfish act as it ALWAYS affects innocent people not just if the person has jumped infront of a train, a car or alone in their room. So that was a silly comment to make.
My x husband committed suicide alone in his flat but aswell as his parents and siblings being affected it affected my 4 childrens whole life and future, yes it was selfish and unless you experience something like this you can not imagine what impact/damage it has on those INNOCENT people left behind especially when there are children involved I should hate him for what he has done to my children but he was ill and to leave them shows how desperate he obviously was and so I have compassion too it's sad, sad for ANYONE who is affected by something like this just like it's sad for the ones who take their own lives.”
by graham, stoke
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 7:23PM
“@ david. when i die i will not be meeting allah god or jesus i will rot in a 7x6x4 hole in the ground. my entire existence WILL end when i draw my last breath and no god botherer will ever convince me other wise but i might trawl the koran and post snippets on here and watch them all get removed because it isnt "christien" but after all is said and done best wishes to the train driver you didnt desearve that”
by graham, stoke
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 7:15PM
“i respect no part of any religion it has led to nothing but blood shed or have you forgotten the religous ppl that flew planes in to 2 large buildings or the ones who are killing our men and women or the god knows how many crusades. killing in the name of a god none of you can seem to grasp is the same one under a different name but then you seem to be confusing me with some one that cares”
by Angry, Plymouth
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 3:47PM
“I have no sympathy for those who commit suicide by standing in front of of jumping in front of trains/tube trains or those who jump from bridges onto busy roads etc because they are being totally selfish by involving an innocent person who has nothing to do with said person / family etc. Yes it's tough if someone overdoses but rarely do they hurt anyone in the process un like those I've quoted above ie the train could have derailed and major pile ups caused by those jumping onto roads
ALL my sympathies lie entirely with the innocent victims,train/car drivers”