Mum suffocated to death by her own Ottoman storage bed before teen daughter found her ‘trapped’ in tragic freak accident
A MUM-OF-TWO suffocated after becoming trapped in her own Ottoman bed in a freak accident.
Helen Davey, from Seaham, County Durham, died on June 7 when she became stuck between the mattress and the bed base, an inquest heard.
The beautician, 39, was tragically found by her 19-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, known as Betty.
Helen also leaves behind her 11-year-old son, George.
An inquest into her death heard the Ottoman had defective gas pistons, responsible for raising the mattress.
Jeremy Chipperfield, senior coroner for Durham and Darlington, has issued a warning stating there's risk of future deaths unless action is taken.
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In his post-inquest report, Mr Chipperfield said: "The deceased was leaning over the storage area of an Ottoman-styled 'gas-lift bed' when the mattress platform descended unexpectedly, trapping her neck against the upper surface of the side panel of the bed's base.
"Unable to free herself, she died of positional asphyxia."
He said it was his responsibility to warn the Office for Product Standards at the Department for Business and Trade about "the existence and use of gas piston bed mechanisms whose failure presents risk to life."
Helen's devastated daughter Betty wrote a heart-wrenching tribute on Facebook which read: "No words would ever describe how we are feeling.
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"'I can't even begin to process that it's real and you're not just going to walk through the door.
"Mine and George's best friend from day one, I will always wish we had more time together and that you were still by our side supporting us through everything as always.
"I hope you know how much I love you and that I'd do anything for one more cuddle. Until we meet again my angel."
One local told the the 19-year-old has not returned to the home since the tragedy.
A DBT spokesperson said: “This is a horrible tragedy and we’d like to express our sympathy to Helen's friends and family.
“We’re carefully considering the coroner’s report to understand the circumstances in this case and if there is anything we can do to prevent tragedies like this in the future we will respond fully before the deadline.”
Helen was a successful businesswoman and ran her own aesthetician company called All Dolled Up.
The tragic loss follows another sudden death in their family, after Helen's brother Luke died in a moped crash aged just 16.
