A DOWNPATRICK woman, found dead in her home, died from a heroin overdose, an inquest has heard.
Bridgeen Georgina Salmon was found at St. Dymphna’s Park in March 2011.
An inquest into her death on Friday heard the 32 year-old was discovered in the living room of the property by relatives, with a syringe near her body.
Relatives disputed the circumstances of her death in court, with one claiming she had been used as a “guinea pig” for a new batch of drugs being brought up from the Irish Republic.
Ryan Lavery, a cousin of Ms. Salmon, told Belfast Coroner’s Court he believed she had died after agreeing to take a new batch of drugs, which included heroin, horse tranquillisers and crystal methadone.
He claimed a man called John Martin, whom he shared a cell with in Maghaberry prison, told him Ms. Salmon had been “asked to test the drugs and she agreed”.
“They used her like a guinea pig,” said Mr. Lavery. “She was stupid enough to take the drugs.”
He also claimed Ms. Salmon’s brother Anthony and two other people were in her house at the time.
Mr. Lavery said he was told at the time that within minutes of taking the new substance Ms. Salmon was “foaming at the mouth and began fitting”.
He claimed the three others with her panicked and “cleaned the house of evidence” as we all placing another syringe of heroin near her body that they had fetched from a car.
He also claimed all messages and call logs on her mobile were d and money was stolen from her purse to pay for the drugs.
Ms. Salmon’s brother Anthony later refuted the allegations and said he had “nothing whatsoever to do with the death of my sister”.
He also claimed Mr. Lavery was a compulsive liar, adding: “I don’t tolerate anybody who takes drugs.”
The court heard a post-mortem examination had found the only drug discovered in Ms. Salmon’s body was heroin.
A police officer also told the court that investigations had found Mr. Lavery had never shared a cell with anyone called John Martin.
Detective Constable Mark Holmes said prison records also revealed no individual of that name had been in Maghaberry.
He said there was no criminal investigation into Ms. Salmon’s death but he was awaiting forensic test results from a mobile phone and sim card.Coroner Brian Sherrard said the allegations she had taken the new drugs had “not been substantiated’ and that “just heroin” had been found in her body before ruling cause of death as from heroin toxicity.
Mr. Sherrard said he could “not rule out the possibility others were with her” but that there was “nothing before the court that she did not take heroin voluntarily.”