Hull mother Sarah Fullard dies after falling on a coffee table
DIY-loving mother-of-two died of asphyxiation in freak accident after tripping over flat-pack coffee table she had only just finished assembling
Sarah Fullard had completed erecting flat pack garden furniture at her homeThe mother of two celebrated with a couple of drinks and tripped over a tableA neighbour spotted her lying on the ground and called for an ambulanceCoroner Lorraine Harris concluded that Ms Fullard’s death had been an accident
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A house-proud mother of two who toasted her success in putting together a flat-pack garden furniture set died in a freak accident after falling over it, an inquest has heard.
Sarah Fullard, 42, poured herself some drinks at her new coffee table as she celebrated in the garden of her home in Hull, East Yorkshire on June 3, 2021.
An inquest heard she stumbled as she got up to go inside for tea and fell over the table and knocked herself out.
Tragically, the position she was in after falling meant that she was unable to breathe and died of asphyxiation.
A neighbour had seen Ms Fullard earlier that day putting up a bench and she seemed ‘excited she had managed to put it up herself’, the inquest was told.
He later looked over the fence and saw her slumped on the coffee table. He immediately called 999.
There was no suggestion that she had been drinking heavily.
Her heartbroken mother Jenny Fullard said: ‘She took so much pride in her new property. Sarah was very independent and did all the DIY herself.’
Sarah Fullard (pictured), 42, died after tripping over her new coffee table at home and knocking herself unconscious
Recording a conclusion that Ms Fullard’s death was an accident, Coroner Lorraine Harris said: ‘She simply did what many of us do and that was to have a few drinks in the safety of her home.’
In a statement, her mother added: ‘We cannot put into words how much we love and miss Sarah. We are just incredibly proud of her.’
Sarah was interested in travel and tourism and enlisted on a course at Hull College.
Later, she got an admin job and then worked at Hull Prison, Hull Magistrates’ and later in a local school.
‘Sarah was a brilliant mum and she always cooked healthy meals from scratch,’ her mother said.
‘She really enjoyed motherhood and dealt well with the ups and downs.
‘We are really proud of the way she brought up her boys who are intelligent and loving.
‘She and her partner broke up suddenly and her world fell apart. But they carried on and remained amicable for the sake of the children.’
‘Her life was completely normal until her passing,’ she continued.
In a statement, her mother added: ‘We cannot put into words how much we love and miss Sarah. We are just incredibly proud of her.’ (Pictured: Tragic Sarah Fullard)
Ms Fullard had just erected some garden furniture on the day she died (stock image)
‘She had planned to go on holiday to Cornwall and had been looking forward to it but it had to be cancelled. She would have been there the week she died.’
The post-mortem revealed that Sarah had moderate to severe alcohol intoxication but that was not the cause of her death.
The level she had would have made her at a greater risk of falling but the amount was not at a toxic level.
Dr Ian Richmond concluded it was the position she ended up in, having been left momentarily unconscious by the fall, which left her unable to breathe. He said she died of ‘positional asphyxia’.
He also noted her liver was in a healthy condition, suggesting she had never been a big drinker.
There were a couple of cuts to her face but no head or brain injuries.
