Hayling pensioner died from choking, court told

Edna Whyman died at Oak View Care Home, in Beach Road, Hayling Island, after staff and a first responder were unable to revive her.

An inquest at Portsmouth Guildhall heard the 99-year-old suffered from dementia and had been at the care home for six years.

On July 27 she was being fed a dinner of cod in parsley sauce with mushy peas.

Reading a statement from the police, coroner David Horsley said: ‘She started to talk with food in her mouth and started to cough.’

An ambulance was called out at 5.20pm and the Heimlich manoeuvre was carried out five times on Mrs Whyman.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. A pathologist ruled her death was due to choking.

Mr Horsley said there were ‘no concerns with regards to negligence or ill-treatment’ and staff had followed the correct procedures.

Ruling an accidental death, he said: ‘Sadly she had a tendency to talk while eating. That has caused her to choke.’