'loving' former care worker, 27, tragically found dead in friend's bath tub

POLICE HAD INITIALLY LAUNCHED A MURDER INVESTIGATION IN KIMBERLEY WOOLRICH'S DEATH 11:01, 11 Feb 2025 'Loving' former care worker, Kimberley 'Kim' Woolrich, 27, was

found dead in a friend's bath tub. Kimberley was discovered in water at 2.47am by a friend who called 999. Arriving at the home in Corporation Street, Stoke, a short time later

paramedics found Kim in cardiac arrest. She had been staying over at her friend's house on the night that tragedy struck. A murder investigation was initially launched by Staffordshire

Police but their inquiries found Kim had been alone in the house at the time. An inquest into her death heard how Kim, of Saturn Road, Smallthorne, in Stoke-on-Trent, had been diagnosed as

bipolar at the age of 19 and struggled with her mental health. As a coping mechanism, Kim would sometimes take prescribed antidepressants and recreational drugs, including cocaine and monkey

dust. Despite receiving regular mental health treatment in the community from North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, the inquest at Stoke-on-Trent Coroner's Court heard Kim

had no intention of stopping taking drugs recreationally, reports Stoke-on-Trent Live. In a statement, Kim's mother, Karen Woolrich, said her daughter spent four-and-a-half years in

and out of the Harplands Hospital from the age of 18 until her death on January 21 last year. On some occasions she went voluntarily, and others she was sectioned. Article continues below

Karen stated: "She was a healthy baby with no significant issues at birth. She had a happy childhood. She had a good family support network. She was supported through myself and her

dad, Paul. "She went to college to do hairdressing. She didn't like it. She ended up completing carer work, which she loved to do. She was 17 when she started. She did it for about

a year but when she turned 18, she started to become unwell with her mental health. "As a family, we were unsure why this event was triggered while she was working at Bupa Care

Network. She was such a loving girl. She would do anything for anybody." Area Coroner Emma Serrano concluded Kim's death was drugs related after she took a combination of three

drugs. She said: "I'm satisfied that the evidence tells me on the balance of probabilities, that Kimberley's medical cause of death was the combination of drugs, intoxication

of MDPHP, cocaine and fluoxetine. In relation to how she's passed away, I've taken account of what the police have said, so I'm satisfied that when she passed away she was in

the house by herself. "Although she was in low mood, people have made reference to her to her being ok, not being suicidal, being seen by mental health professionals and saying

'well yes, I'm in low mood, but I'm not feeling suicidal. I haven't got any plans to do that'. Article continues below "What's happened is all three of the

drugs have worked together and they've caused a heightened effect, and that's what's caused her to pass away. I'm going to record that it's as a result of a drugs

related death." JOIN OUR WHATSAPP TOP STORIES AND, BREAKING NEWS GROUP BY CLICKING THIS LINK