A young mum accidentally killed herself with an overdose after refusing to go to the dentist for fear of catching Covid, an inquest has heard.

Alexandria Pierce-Baddeley, 29, developed a severe mouth abscess, but wouldn’t leave the house given her history of bulimia, and previous hospital admissions for hepatitis, sepsis and pneumonia.

Rather than seek outside treatment, the ‘vibrant and happy’ teaching assistant treated her ulcer with beta blockers, turmeric paste and white wine.

She was found dead on her bed by her mother at her home in Winsford, Cheshire after taking a fatal level of Propranolol tablets mixed with a large amount of wine.

Police investigated the death as a potential suicide in May, with Ms Pierce-Baddeley said to have previously made threats to take her own life.

Ex-boyfriend Paul Johnson, who ended their ten-year relationship a day before her death, said she had texted a picture of her medication to him in her final hours, saying: ‘In 20 minutes I won’t be able to move.’

The suicide theory was ruled out by investigators, with her mother Angela Dutton saying her daughter was ‘devoted to her child’ and had ‘much to live for’.

In a statement read to the Warrington hearing, Ms Dutton said her daughter had been in ‘a lot of pain’ before her death as ‘the abscess was large’.

She added that she was worried Ms Pierce-Baddeley ‘may take too many tablets or not check whether there was any risk of adverse reactions with other medication or alcohol – or even if they were safe for her to take at all’.

Describing the moment she found her daughter dead on May 1, she said: ‘I called at her home as I had not heard from her during the day and neither had anyone else. 

‘Alexandria did not answer the door so I let myself in, shouted her and got no response. 

‘I went upstairs and as I got the top and I saw Alexandria lying across the bed. I thought at first she was asleep – but when I got closer I realised something was not right.’

The young mum’s daughter, 9, is not thought to have been home at the time of her death.

There was no evidence of suicide, with Ms Pierce-Baddeley freshly showered and made-up and all of her medication downstairs in order, Ms Dutton said. 

Ms Dutton said: ‘Alexandria loved her family especially her daughter and that love was returned by us all.

‘She had a large circle of friends and for the most part was a happy and vibrant young woman, She seemed to be in good spirits the previous night and was clapping for the NHS with her neighbours. 

‘She was not the type to take her own life – had she made that decision she would have written a letter explaining why.

‘I feel her death was down to one drink too many, accidental over medication or even infection from the abscess. 

‘I find it hard to believe anyone terrified of going out because of Covid to seek treatment for an extremely painful abscess which she was treating herself the best she could would take her own life.

‘I cannot stress how much she was devoted to her daughter. She had great expectations for her and wanted to be there for her. I genuinely believe any overdose was purely accidental and not deliberate.’

Ms Pierce-Baddeley’s ex-partner Paul Johnson said he received a series of text messages from her at 10pm on the evening of her death. 

One showed a photo of a large number of tablets. Later messages read: ‘In 20 minutes I wont be able to move.’

Mr Johnson said: ‘I never called police as I had come to expect this kind of behaviour from Alex in the past. 

‘She had previously threatened to take her own life but the threats never felt real and she did it a few times. The following morning I called her but got no answer and was not able to contact her.’

Toxicology tests showed Ms Pierce-Baddeley had 228 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in her system – almost three times the driving limit of 80mgh.

A fatal level of Propranolol was also discovered in her bloodstream, while empty bottles of wine were found around her bedroom.

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