A former RTE librarian was found dead at her home in Co Donegal after suffering a fall.
An inquest into the death of Frances McLaughlin, aged 72, heard how she had been dead between 3 and 10 days when she was found at her home in Letterkenny on January 11th, 2017.
The last people to see Ms McLaughlin alive was her sister Veronica and her husband Paul Trayers when Ms McLaughlin had spent Christmas Day with them.
Donegal Coroner’s Court was told today that Mr and Mrs Trayers became concerned when they had not heard from Ms McLaughlin for some days and contacted her letting agent.
They entered her home at Harvey Close, on Newline Road, and found Ms McLaughlin’s remains on the floor of the living room.
Gardai were called and Garda Sean McLaughlin, a nephew of the deceased woman, arrived on the scene.
He said that his aunt was dead on the floor and was dressed for bed.
He said that his aunt had moved back from RTE approximately three years earlier having spent most of her adult life working in RTE in Dublin.
“She has made a nice little life for herself. She had been in god health and her death was an absolute shock to everyone who knew her,” said Garda McLaughlin.
Doctor Josephine Kernan was called and she pronounced death at 5.22pm and Ms McLaughlin’s remains were taken to Letterkenny University Hospital for a post mortem.
Pathologist Dr Catriona Dillon told the court that the deceased had suffered heart failure and also a fracture to the femur.
She said she could not tell if the fracture, which occurred as a result of a fall, came before or after Ms McLaughlin had suffered heart failure.
Coroner Dr Denis McCauley said his finding was that Ms McLaughlin died as a result of an accident.