Inquest hears emotional notes Waterlooville mum who died by suicide left her loved ones

Martha Williamson, 29, was described as '˜an amazing mum' by her friends as a coroner ruled she died by suicide after '˜a long-standing and complex battle with mental health problems'.

The court heard she was found in the Queen's Inclosure woods in Waterlooville, in April.

Police constable Stephen Doust said the woman had been there for some time when they arrived, 30 minutes after being told she had not picked her daughter, five, up from school.

He said: '˜One officer, the ambulance service and an air ambulance doctor arrived to try and revive Martha, but after 45 minutes of trying, she was pronounced dead at 5.25pm.'

Martha's friends told The News in April how she left suicide notes, a poem, and a drawing of where she was at her flat.

Portsmouth Coroner's Court heard a note to her friend Trisha Baldrey read: '˜Trish I'm sorry, please take care of my daughter as best you can. Things have been so dark for me for so long. I don't belong in this world.'

Another read: '˜If you talk about it you are selfish or an attention seeker, but if you don't everyone says 'I wish she told me how she was feeling', how messed up is that?.'

To her daughter Martha wrote a long note, part of which said: '˜I'm sorry I can't continue this journey with you, I love you with all my heart beautiful angel.'

After being put into foster care and adopted as a young child in Scotland, Martha told her loved ones and health professionals she had a difficult childhood '“ her biological mother was schizophrenic and her father an alcoholic, who committed suicide.

She moved to the area in 2008 and the court heard over the years she is thought to have suffered with anxiety, chronic depression, emotionally unstable personality disorder, psychotic disorder and more. She also self-harmed, overdosed and tried to take her own life, as well as dealt with episodes where voices told her to harm herself and others.

Martha regularly used Adult Mental Health Services at the Parkway Centre in Havant. According to GP Caroline Williams, from Queenswood Surgery where she was registered, Martha had been waiting for specialist therapy for six months, but there were also other appointments she did not attend.

Nicola Duffin, from Southern Health, told the court that after the birth of her daughter, there was a significant gap in the help Martha needed between 2012-2017, but she did appear to relapse.

Martha's best friend Trisha Baldrey spoke in court. She was joined by Martha's sister, Nicola Black, and her adoptive parents, Mr and Mrs Williamson.

Trisha, who knew Martha for 11 years, said:'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹ '˜When I first met Martha she was experiencing highs and lows, she had deep depression.

'˜But after having her daughter she calmed down.

'˜She self-harmed and cut herself a month before it happened but she hadn't done that for years.'

In January Martha told doctors she was having suicidal thoughts, but that she had no intention of acting on them. The last time Martha accessed health services Ms Duffin said there were no risks identified. 

The coroner, David Horsley, ruled Martha took her own life because she was ill.