Mystery still surrounds woman's sudden death as her mum says inquest has not answered questions

Katrina Fennell was found dead at her Holbeach Close address in June last year in mysterious circumstances.

The 43-year-old had been at her friend Laura Mitchell’s house enjoying a bottle of Lambrini wine and Stella Artois lager when she suddenly got up and left, saying she had a stomach ache – never to be seen alive by anyone again as far as anyone knew.

‘She asked for a painkiller and then just got up and went. She was not drunk and didn’t seem that ill – it was more like she was going to meet someone,’ Ms Mitchell told Portsmouth Coroner’s Court.

Ms Mitchell added: ‘I rang her and left messages but heard nothing back but that was not unusual.’

After a few days had passed in which no one had heard from Ms Fennell the alarm was raised by a neighbour, who noticed there had been no lights on at her address over recent days. When Ms Mitchell – who had a key to the property – and another friend turned up to check on Ms Fennell they were left horrified after discovering her slumped over a mattress.

The deceased’s mum Sheila Fennell said she was confused after hearing ‘conflicting stories’ from her daughter’s friends.

Police did not treat the death as suspicious.

Pathologist Adnan Al-Badri said the death was down to cardiac arrest due to cocaine and amphetamine use which were found in her blood, though not enough for an overdose.

Ms Fennell said: ‘She had always struggled with drink and drugs but was coming out of a bad year of her life’ and had turned a corner.

Coroner David Horsley recorded an accidental death verdict.

But Ms Fennell added: ‘There are still so many questions. Something’s not right.’