THE death of a Welshpool woman, found in her friend’s bathroom on the morning of her 39th birthday, was drug related, an inquest heard.

Carla Natasha Francis, of Oldford Rise, had been living at her friend’s house in Shrewsbury for two weeks prior to her death. The inquest heard that her friend found her in the bathroom on February 8, 2019.

The Senior Coroner for Shropshire, John Ellery, said that her friend found her when she woke up to go to work in the morning and called 999 at 7.27am.

Mr Ellery told the inquest, which no friends or family attended, that Ms Francis was in “generally good health”.

He said that she had previously used heroin but that she had had multiple clear drug tests and was under the Powys drug and alcohol service Kaleidoscope.

The inquest also heard that Ms Francis was suffering from headaches and that she said she could hear her heartbeat in her head, although she had not complained for a short period.

However, the inquest heard that drug paraphernalia was found in her bag. Medical reports found that she had an enlarged heart and that her arteries had become clogged from cocaine use.

The medical cause of death given was cocaine cardiotoxicity, with the coroner’s conclusion being that Ms Francis’ death was drug related.