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Daughter helped elderly parents take lethal drugs and watched them die Daughter helped elderly parents take lethal drugs and watched them die
(35 minutes later)
A woman who helped her elderly parents die told an inquest how she gave them glasses of poison and watched in stunned silence as they died. A woman who helped her elderly parents to die told an inquest how she gave them glasses of poison and watched in stunned silence as they died.
Georgina Roberts, 59, ordered the lethal drug sodium pentobarbital over the internet and prepared it for them after her parents had been rejected for assisted suicide in Switzerland and failed at one suicide attempt, an inquest in Newbury, Berkshire heard. Georgina Roberts, 59, ordered the lethal drug over the internet and prepared it for them after her parents had been rejected for assisted suicide in Switzerland and failed at one attempt to kill themselves, an inquest in Newbury, Berkshire heard.
"My actions were motivated entirely by compassion and love for my mother and father," she said. David Arnold, 82, a retired doctor, and his wife Elizabeth, 85, decided to end their lives when he became a bed-ridden amputee and she was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's disease."My actions were motivated entirely by compassion and love for my mother and father," she said. David Arnold, 82, a retired doctor, and his wife Elizabeth, 85, decided to end their lives when he became a bed-ridden amputee and she was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
The inquest heard how the couple had tried to kill themselves in November 2011 – two months after Dr Arnold's amputation – but failed because the painkillers they took were out of date. The suicide attempt was known to relatives, but they did not tell the authorities because they feared their parents would be split up and put into care homes. The inquest heard that the couple had tried to kill themselves in November 2011, two months after Dr Arnold's amputation, but failed because the painkillers they took were out of date. Relatives knew of the attempt but did not tell the authorities fearing their parents would be split up and put into care homes.
Their daughter explained how, on her father's instructions, she had bought 40mg of sodium pentobarbital on the internet from a Chinese website and had stashed it away in the couple's bungalow in Newbury. Their daughter explained that, on her father's instructions, she had bought 40mg of the drug on the internet from a Chinese website and stashed it away in the couple's bungalow in Newbury.
Recalling the fateful day, Roberts said: "I asked if they were sure today was the day. They said it was but they wanted to watch the Proms on TV first. I got out the sodium pentobarbital and another drug which would speed up the effects of it. Roberts said: "I asked if they were sure today was the day. They said it was but they wanted to watch the Proms on TV first. I got out the [drug] and another drug which would speed up the effects of it.
"I mixed it up and put it in a cup on dad's bedside table and I put another cup on the table next to mum who was sitting in her armchair. I said it would be bitter so they should have a chocolate afterwards. Mum drank it very fast. Dad took his and drank it and I gave them both a chocolate each. "I mixed it[the drug] up and put it in a cup on dad's bedside table and I put another cup on the table next to mum who was sitting in her armchair. I said it would be bitter so they should have a chocolate afterwards. Mum drank it very fast. Dad took his and drank it and I gave them a chocolate each.
"Dad then had a whisky and mum had a port, I think. They quickly slipped in to a deep sleep. I stood there for 20 minutes in stunned silence watching them. It was surreal." "Dad then had a whisky and mum had a port, I think. They quickly slipped into a deep sleep. I stood there for 20 minutes in stunned silence watching them. It was surreal."
Assisting in the act of suicide is a criminal offence, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided it was not in the public interest to charge Mrs Roberts with any offence. Assisting in the act of suicide is a criminal offence, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided it was not in the public interest to charge Roberts.
The Swiss charity Dignitas had rejected the Arnolds for assisted suicide because of Mrs Arnold's dementia, the inquest heard. Psychiatrist Elizabeth Rice, of Berkshire Healthcare Trust, assessed Mrs Arnold in November 2011 and February 2012 and told the inquest her patient "did not have capacity and was susceptible to coercion." Swiss charity Dignitas had rejected the couple for assisted suicide because of Mrs Arnold's dementia, the inquest heard. Psychiatrist Elizabeth Rice, of Berkshire Healthcare Trust, had assessed Mrs Arnold in November 2011 and February 2012 and told the inquest her patient "did not have capacity and was susceptible to coercion".
Mrs Roberts said her mother had "good and bad days" and was "clear as a bell" on the day she decided to end her life.Mrs Roberts said her mother had "good and bad days" and was "clear as a bell" on the day she decided to end her life.
Bedford recorded a narrative verdict at the end of the case and said he had no comment to make on Mrs Arnold's capacity to decide if she wanted to die. Coroner Peter Bedford recorded a narrative verdict and said he had no comment to make on Mrs Arnold's capacity to decide if she wanted to die.
In his concluding remarks, the coroner said: "Mrs Arnold and Dr Arnold had discussed openly and over a period of years their intention to end their lives if they felt their quality of life was deteriorating to a point when it was no longer worth living." He said: "Mrs Arnold and Dr Arnold had discussed openly and over a period of years their intention to end their lives if they felt their quality of life was deteriorating to a point when it was no longer worth living."
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