An inquest has heard that a young mother had ceased breathing in a flat for “30 hours” before anyone dialled 999. Kimberley McAssey was discovered lifeless in bed at her friend Ryan Sheridan’s Sherbourne Court flat.
The Rochdale Coroners Court was informed today (November 25) that the 29 year old had “gone cold” around 6am on February 20, 2021, following a night of alcohol and MDMA (ecstasy) consumption with Mr Sheridan. However, it wasn’t until the next morning that Mr Sheridan notified anyone about Ms McAssey’s death, by sending a text to his mother, Emma Heydon.
Upon arriving at the scene in Prestwich, Ms Heydon left to purchase sandwiches for her son before making the emergency call upon her return. The Greater Manchester Police had been investigating Ms McAssey’s death, with officers expected to detail the progression of the investigation at Tuesday’s inquest.
The inquest was told that Mr Sheridan had sent a message to his mother at 9.28am on February 21, 2021, stating: “I urgently need to see you”. Ms Heydon called him at 10.43am to inquire about the situation.
She then requested a lift from her friend Sarah Johnstone, arriving at Sherbourne Court just before noon, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Ms Heydon recounted a version of events her son had relayed to her upon her arrival at his residence. According to her, Ms McAssey and Mr Sheridan had been drinking, had ‘taken drugs’ at his flat and had sexual intercourse.
Following this, Mr Sheridan left Ms McAssey, also from Prestwich, to “get herself sorted” and retreated to another room, said Ms Heydon.
She recounted the harrowing details: “He said he was either on Facebook, or whatever he was doing, a few hours had passed. He expected Kim to follow him not long after. He then went back in [the bedroom], climbed in next to her, but he didn’t want to disturb her because she was asleep.”
“After a while, he went over to give her a hug. He said she went cold. He tried to give her mouth-to-mouth twice. He was devastated.”
The court was informed that Ms Heydon arrived at her son’s residence just before midday on February 21, 2021, yet it took an additional 20 minutes before a call to emergency services was placed. Instead, Ms Heydon opted to quickly buy her son two sandwiches “because he had not eaten”.
Reflecting on her actions, Ms Heydon expressed regret, saying: “I wish that I had rang the police sooner,” and added, “But in retrospect, I did what I thought was right at that time. But I also didn’t feel like it was a real scenario.”
During the distressing 999 call played in court, Ms Heydon confirmed when asked if Ms McAssey had succumbed to an overdose by responding with a simple, “Yeah.”
However, under scrutiny from the coroner and Ms McAssey’s relatives, Ms Heydon conceded she hadn’t actually seen Ms McAssey or any evidence indicating an overdose was the cause of death; it was merely her assumption.
Further revelations in court disclosed that at the time of the tragic event, Mr Sheridan was under investigation for an alleged assault on another woman on 14 February 2021. When queried whether her actions were influenced by concern over this ongoing investigation, Ms Heydon admitted: “I just did not put two and two together.”
Forensic pathologist Dr Philip Lumb testified at the inquest, describing the impact of “decomposition” on his examination of Ms McAssey and making it “very difficult” to assess. He detailed efforts to search for signs of asphyxiation, including strangulation, but admitted that bruising might be obscured by post-mortem changes.
A toxicology report from Mark Tyler revealed MDMA presence in Ms McAssey’s blood, a level viewed to be potentially fatal. Although the substance indicated as a possible cause of death, Dr Lumb advised that uncertainty about bruising left the official medical cause as “undetermined”.
In poignant court scenes, Karrie McAssey, the mother of the deceased, had been searching for her daughter on February 21, 2021, unaware of her passing. She presented an emotional statement, remembering her child as “cheeky, funny, silly, one in a million”.
Expressing deep sorrow and loss, Karrie spoke of her daughters vibrant character: “She was a child at heart no matter her age. Her smile changed the world and she never let the world change her smile.”
Fondly reflecting on Kims authenticity and charm, her mother added: “She was her own person and that’s made Kim so special… We love and miss Kim so very much. Kim leaving us has turned our lives upside down and has destroyed our family.”
The inquiry into Ms McAssey’s death is ongoing.