Disabled daughter 'left alone for weeks after mother died'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0q8q093jy0o

Version 0 of 1.

Alphonsine Djiako Leuga, right, and Loraine Choulla were found dead in their home in May 2024

A mother died leaving her disabled daughter to fend for herself for weeks inside their home, the detective who led the investigation into their deaths has told an inquest.

Det Con Jack Cook was called to the home of Alphonsine Djiako Leuga, 47, and her daughter Loraine Choulla, 18, in Radford, Nottingham, on the day their bodies were discovered during a safe and well check on 21 May 2024.

He told the inquest police believed Alphonsine had died shortly after a 999 call was made to East Midlands Ambulance Service on 2 February.

But investigations showed Loraine, who had Down's syndrome and was "entirely dependent" on her mother, had been alive until 28 February as she had been using her tablet.

The inquest led by assistant coroner Amanda Bewley, which began on Monday, previously heard Alphonsine had made an emergency call for an ambulance using Loraine's tablet, days after being discharged from hospital when she had been critically unwell.

The ambulance never came as it had been wrongly labelled as an "abandoned call".

Det Con Cook, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Loraine had been left in the premises alone and had been alive until her device had lost charge."

Police believe she had likely died before her 18th birthday in April.

The inquest heard Alphonsine and Loraine had last left their house to get a taxi on 31 January

Det Con Cook told the hearing he had previously visited their home in 2023 while working as a uniformed officer, to support social services in accessing the property.

At that time, he noted their home was "clean and tidy" with their fridge stocked and beds made.

The inquest heard on his second visit, on the day they were pronounced dead, there had been mouldy food in the fridge, uncooked pasta, noodles and spaghetti on the kitchen work surfaces, and two unopened tins of tuna placed in the microwave.

Wrappers and half-eaten food, including bread and raw pasta, along with two empty water bottles were found in one of the bedrooms, where Loraine had used bedding and pillows to "make a den" on the floor between two beds.

Analysis of the tablet showed a number of calls had been made to the tablet in the weeks following Alphonsine's likely death, including by Nottingham City Hospital, which had been unanswered and replied to by text using one of three stock messages, which police believe were sent by Loraine.

Police said Alphonsine and Loraine were found in May, some time after they had likely both died

Alphonsine's eldest daughter, Elvira Choulla, said her mother "was a very strong woman" who "always strived for the best" for her and Loraine, and that Loraine was "such a happy person" with a "big positive energy".

She said: "When I was happy, I was happy because of Loraine."

Christopher Atherton, strategic director of adult social care at Nottingham City Council, told the inquest work was taking place to restructure its services into a "neighbourhood model" to better join up with health providers like GPs and voluntary organisations.

The inquest continues.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support is available via the BBC Action Line

Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.