Helen Long: Tragic circumstances of Swindon woman's death

Helen Louise Long died on June 21, 2022, at her home on Standen Way in Blunsdon St Andrew.

Several police officers and forensic investigation teams attended the property to investigate the scene, and a 70-year-old man was then arrested on suspicion of murder.

A post-mortem carried out on the same day could not determine a cause of death for the 44-year-old.

The 70-year-old suspect was interviewed and released under investigation a day later, though police later confirmed that the incident was no longer being treated as a murder.

No charges have been brought against the 70-year-old.

An inquest into Ms Long's death concluded at Swindon and Wiltshire Coroners Court in Salisbury on Wednesday.

Police at the scene on Standen Way in Blunsdon in June 2022 (Image: SWNS)

Area coroner Ian Singleton read out evidence and statements from those who were present at the house on June 20.

The court heard that Helen had been well during the day but received "distressing news about the health of a close relative", her aunt, and then consumed alcohol before going to bed.

Her long-term partner went to check on her at around 2.30am, found that she was cold and unresponsive, and called an ambulance.

PC Reeves attended the property, found an empty bottle of wine and spoke to Ms Long's partner, who was “erratic and difficult to speak to”.

PC Morton attended the address at 3.25am and was led upstairs by a paramedic to the bedroom, where Helen Long was lying under the duvet and posed in a way that the officer described as “strange” and “not a normal sleeping position”.

An examination of her body found a wound on her scalp that suggested she had fallen or collapsed somewhere else in the house.

A toxicology report indicated that the deceased had 219 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood in her system at the time of her death, which would have impaired her speech and mobility.

Medical records explained that she had a history of kyphoscoliosis and scoliosis, which is a severe curvature of the spine that significantly reduced her chest capacity, 

Because of this condition, she was known to suffer from respiratory failure and used a ventilator to ensure she kept breathing while asleep.

On the night of her death, she had suffered respiratory failure due to the pre-existing scoliosis and the acute alcohol intoxication which had increased the severity of the problem.

In conclusion, Mr Singleton recorded Helen Long’s death as being alcohol-related and passed on his sincere condolences to her family