Ruby Wilson was pronounced dead hours after staff found her with serious injuries at Forest Place Nursing Home in Essex, a coroner said
A 94-year-old woman was found ‘unresponsive’ after being stabbed in the neck at the care home where she lived, an inquest opening heard today.
Great-great grandmother Ruby Wilson was pronounced dead hours after staff found her with serious injuries at Forest Place Nursing Home in Essex, a coroner said.
Her grandson Antony Jennings, 32, of Ilford, appeared in court charged with her murder on Monday.
Essex Area Coroner Eleanor McGann suspended the investigation until the criminal proceedings at Chelmsford Crown Court are completed.
Mrs McGann said: ‘On the 29th of November 2017 Mrs Wilson was found unresponsive by staff with an injury to her neck.
‘Her death was confirmed at the scene at 5.45pm.
‘On the 30th of November 2017 a forensic post mortem was performed by Dr Cary at the Princess Alexandra Hospital where the provisional cause of death was given as: incised wound to the neck.’
Mrs Wilson’s body has not been released from the hospital mortuary and a date into her inquest has not yet been set.
No members of her family or the public attended the short inquest opening in Chelmsford, Essex.
Her family paid tribute to her in a statement on Friday which read: ‘As a family we loved Ruby, who will be remembered for her creativity and love for crocheting, dressmaking and bingo.
‘She always brought the family together and loved spending time with her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchild.
‘She was together with her husband Leslie for 75 years and always had a song to sing for every occasion.
‘She will be dearly missed by all of us, her loving family.’
Ruby and former docker Leslie, who was also known as Robert or Bob, moved out of their £450,000 terraced home in Loughton, Essex, they lived in for more than 40 years, in 2014
Emergency services were called to the nursing home in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, at around 1.20pm on Wednesday.
Police confirmed the victim and suspect were known to each other after Jennings was arrested on suspicion of murder and was charged after being quizzed by detectives.
He appeared before Chelmsford magistrates who on Friday heard he brought ‘several knives’ into the care home and allegedly ‘slit the throat’ of his grandmother.
It is understood roughly 70 people are looked after at Forest Place Nursing Home, which cares for dementia sufferers, people with physical disabilities and offers palliative care.
The home’s website describes it as a ‘family run business with over 20 years experience in the provision of high quality personalised care.’
In the wake of the ‘traumatic’ death staff have been given counselling, but the facility is now operating as normal.
A spokesman for Forest Place said: ‘A tragic incident occurred within the home, which resulted in the death of a resident.
‘The incident was immediately reported to Essex Police and measures were put in place to safeguard other residents within the home.
‘Our thoughts are with the family of the resident. This has been a traumatic experience for us all.’
They both moved to Forest Place Nursing Home in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, after suffering from ill health and struggling to live independently
Former neighbours also paid tribute to Ruby, who moved to the care home with her 95-year-old husband three years ago.
Former neighbour George Brunswick, 58 said: ‘They were really nice and friendly, they’d always give us a wave, couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to do anything to them or to say anything bad about them.
‘They were retired when we got here 20 years ago- but they were old, you know?
‘They moved to the same home.
‘We just really can’t believe it to be honest – we didn’t know them well but we know that their family still live there but they never speak to us.’
Another neighbour, known only as Irene, said: ‘It’s just shocking, absolutely shocking – lovely chatty lady she was, I never really spoke to him but I know she was a seamstress she told me, a very long time ago!
‘I’ve lived here 40 odd years and I really don’t believe it, they live in the same care home I think, didn’t they?
‘They didn’t tell me when they were moving to a care home though- their daughter didn’t tell me, nobody did.’
Ruby and former docker Leslie, who was also known as Robert or Bob, moved out of their £450,000 terraced home in Loughton, Essex, they lived in for more than 40 years, in 2014.
They both moved to Forest Place Nursing Home in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, after suffering from ill health and struggling to live independently.
A former neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: ‘They celebrated their diamond wedding at the care home after moving out some three years ago.’
It’s understood the couple’s granddaughter and her boyfriend now live at their former home, which they still own.
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