A young mother was found hanged by her boyfriend hours after they rowed about ‘petty’ cheating allegations at a wedding reception, an inquest heard.
Emily Evans, 27, was found unresponsive by her partner Steven Davis at her home in Walsall, West Midlands just before 9.30pm on July 27.
The couple had been at a wedding party at a pub in Wolverhampton where they had rowed over claims she had been unfaithful that ‘quickly spiralled and became vitriolic’, an inquest heard.
Her mother Joanne Beech described her daughter as ‘caring, fun-loving and family-orientated’ at the hearing, which was attended by more than 40 friends and relatives.
The coroner was told Ms Evans doted on her son and her partner’s two children and the couple planned on getting married.
Senior coroner Zafar Siddique ruled her death as misadventure, concluding she did not intend to take her own life and may have hoped she would be saved.
Emily Evans, 27, was found unresponsive by her partner Steven Davis at her home in Walsall, West Midlands just before 9.30pm on July 27
Black Country Coroner’s court heard the couple left the party separately, with Emily opting to drive her boyfriend’s car back home.
When they got back, Mr Davis was upstairs while Ms Evans stepped back outside to grab cigarettes from the car.
But she was unable to get back in the house after the door automatically locked behind her. She then used a garden ornament to smash the window of Steven’s car.
Mr Davis told the inquest he left the house to drive the damaged car to a nearby convenience store.
While away from their home, he admitted sending ‘unpleasant’ messages to her and taunting her about a Facebook post which claimed she had been unfaithful.
When he returned home later that evening, he discovered her body.
Despite the best efforts of paramedics, she could not be saved.
Her mother Joanne Beech described her daughter as ‘caring, fun-loving and family-orientated’
Mr Davis, a groundworker, said of his girlfriend: ‘She was always happy, we were happy most of the time. We started seeing each other in May 2018.
‘It was good, we did have arguments but most of the time it was good. We basically argued about previous relationships.
‘We planned to get engaged, we started organising stuff and looking at venues.’
Discussing the argument on the day of her death, Mr Davis said the texts he sent her were ‘not very pleasant’.
Talking about a previous holiday to Turkey Ms Evans had been on with Mr Davis, Mrs Beech told the Oldbury inquest: ‘Seven nights before they came home they had a bad row that ended in violence.
‘He accused her of being suspicious. He became aggressive.
‘Without alcohol, they were quite happy. There was no evidence that she would consider life without Steve.’
Speaking about the day of her daughter’s death, Mrs Beech claimed: ‘He had been horrible to her all day.
‘Emily slipped on her way out of the toilet and hurt her knee. She told Steven: ‘I think I have broken my knee’, to which he replied: ‘Pity it wasn’t your neck’.’
A post-mortem examination report revealed Ms Evans had a fractured voicebox and concluded she died as the result of hanging.
Mrs Beech told the court: ‘I was completely shocked. Emily was very anti-suicide especially for people with children.
Emily is pictured left with a friend. A coroner concluded she did not plan to take her own life and that she may have hoped to have been saved
‘I think something went dramatically wrong because she had her son who she loved immensely and she loved Steven.
‘I’ve read emails where she was planning for the future, she was looking at wedding dresses and baby names.’
Zafar Siddique, senior Coroner for the Black Country, said: ‘I heard that Emily Margaret Evans was very caring, fun-loving and would do anything for anyone. She always put others first.
‘She enjoyed watching football and together with her family she was a season ticket holder.
‘She was a young mum and was looking forward to the future. Emily was in a relationship for over a year with Steven Davis. While there were some concerns they generally seemed happy together.
‘On July 27, the family were attending a wedding reception. Mrs Beech told me there had been an argument. Drink played a part and Mr Davis didn’t know many people there.
‘The argument involved petty allegations and quickly spiralled and became vitriolic.’
Mr Siddique added: ‘Emily had no history of mental illness, was not on any anti-depressant medication and no notes were left at the scene.
‘This came as a bolt out of the blue for everyone.She was future-orientated based on everything I’ve heard.’
Mr Siddique said: ‘I am recording this as a death by misadventure. I am satisfied she did tie the ligature but didn’t intend the outcome.
‘On evidence, she did not intend to take her own life. She may have expected her partner to find her. It is a deeply tragic loss of a young mum.’
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