‘You’ve won’: Mother-of-two, 49, took her own life after sending final tragic texts to husband who replied ‘Whatever’, inquest hears
- Amanda Jayne Sedgwick, 49, was found dead in her home in Doncaster last May
- The mother-of-two had been texting with her husband about their marriage
- Husband was investigated but released and not charged on suspicion of murder
- Coroner Louise Slater concluded that she died as a result of suicide
A mother of two who took her own life sent final texts to her husband telling him he had ‘won’, a court has heard.
Amanda Jayne Sedgwick, 49, was found dead in her home in Askern, Doncaster, on May 19 2020 after a heated text message exchange with her husband.
An inquest into her death at Doncaster Coroners Court heard that the couple had been experiencing issues in their marriage at the time of her death, Yorkshire Live reported.
The court heard that an ambulance had been called to the scene at 22:40 when she was found unresponsive on a bed.
Amanda Jayne Sedgwick, 49, was found dead in her home in Askern, Doncaster, on May 19 2020 after a heated text message exchange with her husband
When crews arrived ten minutes later, she was pronounced dead.
Her cause of death was given as drug toxicity from overdosing on prescribed medication.
Her husband was later arrested by police on suspicion of murder, but later searches uncovered several packets of medication in the bin and a text conversation recorded on her mobile phone between the couple.
He was released under investigation and no charges were brought.
Evidence in the court showed that the couple had been texting each other from separate rooms on the night she died about the state of their marriage.
Just before 8pm, she sent a text which read: ‘You’ve won.’ Moments later, at 20.09, her husband replied with: ‘I would quite happily die right now so no, you have won.’
She replied at 20:12 with: ‘Too late, I took it first. You won.’ She then sent another message that read: ‘Love that those were your last words to me.’
Her husband responded shortly after with: ‘Whatever.’
She sent her final message at 20.27 to say: ‘I didn’t think it would happen. I never thought a man would get me this low. Well done you, you are so much better than me.’
Emergency services were called to the home in Askern on the evening of May 19, 2020
Her husband discovered her unresponsive in bed hours later and made the 999 call.
In an interview with South Yorkshire Police, he denied being responsible for her death.
Coroner Louise Slater concluded that she died as a result of suicide.
‘It is clear that Amanda was a 49-year-old woman who was found suddenly and unexpectedly deceased on May 19 last year,’ she said.
‘She had been with her husband for a period of 23 years and she had two sons.
‘The relationship had been challenging at times. At the time of Amanda’s death she had been furloughed due to Covid.
‘It is also clear that there were a number of texts between Amanda and her husband during the evening of May 19. It was not a particularly pleasant exchange that evening.
‘I am satisfied that Amanda carried out a deliberate act and she did so with the intention of taking her own life.’
In a statement, Mrs Sedgwick’s mother, Pamela, described her as a much loved mother who enjoyed crochet, knitting and cooking.
She said: ‘I miss my daughter so much, it’s hard to put into words how much I miss her.’