Female victim succumbs to malfunctioning mechanized sleep furniture.
In the northeastern part of England, beauty salon owner Helen Davey met her untimely demise in June. As per the coroner, Jeremy Chipperfield, in his recent report, she was sadly trapped while leaning over the storage area of an Ottoman-style 'lift' bed.
Ottoman beds are known for their lifting base, typically operated by gas-lift hydraulics, providing easy access to a concealed storage space underneath. These beds are popular among homeowners looking to store bedding or out-of-season clothing out of sight.
Unfortunately, the mattress platform on Davey's bed unexpectedly collapsed, trapping her neck against the upper surface of the bed's side panel base. Unable to free herself, she tragically succumbed to positional asphyxia. The report revealed that one of the bed's gas-lift pistons was faulty.
Davey was discovered by her daughter, Elizabeth, who described her grim discovery in court and was reported by The Northern Echo. Elizabeth described seeing her mother lying on her back with her head under the bed, her legs bent as if she was attempting to rise.
“I dropped everything I was holding and tried to lift the bed's top off her head. The bed was no longer a soft close and could collapse heavily if released. It was too heavy for me to lift up and retrieve her,” Elizabeth stated.
She managed to raise the bed sufficiently to support it with her foot and pull her out, only to discover her mother’s face turning blue and bearing a clear indent from the bed frame. Elizabeth initiated CPR but unfortunately, she felt that Davey had ceased breathing.
In a letter to Britain's business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, Chipperfield expressed concerns about potential future fatalities if no action is taken. He highlighted the possible risks associated with gas-lift piston bed mechanisms that might result in fatalities as a significant cause for concern.
As per UK law, coroners are required to report potential preventive measures to the relevant authorities or government agencies whenever they deem necessary action.
The faulty gas-lift piston in Ottoman-style beds, a common feature in the UK, was cited as the cause of Helen Davey's tragic death. Despite being popular for their storage capability, such incidents underscore the need for stricter safety regulations in the UK's bed manufacturing industry.
