Woman dies after getting trapped in ottoman bed, coroner says

(Gray News) - A woman in the UK lost her life when an ottoman bed collapsed and pinned her down, as reported by a coroner.

Helen Davey, 39, was bending over the bed's storage compartment when the support for the mattress suddenly fell, pinning her neck.

Ottoman beds feature a frame that lifts up, providing access to hidden storage below. This lifting mechanism is commonly operated by gas-lift hydraulics.

According to The Northern Echo, Davey’s daughter Elizabeth reported that she discovered her mother when she returned home from getting her hair done.

In her statement to the court, Elizabeth described going upstairs to discover her mother on the floor, positioned on her back with her head partially hidden beneath the bed. It looked like her legs were bent, as if she had been attempting to stand up.

Elizabeth mentioned that she attempted to raise the top part of the bed off her mother, but the bed had lost its cushioning and could easily topple over.

"I found it extremely difficult to lift it and attempt to pull her out,” she mentioned.

Elizabeth mentioned that Davey’s face appeared to be blue, and there was a mark on her neck left by the frame.

Elizabeth observed that her mother had stopped breathing, so she immediately performed CPR while waiting for the paramedics to get there.

Paramedics tried to rescue her, but, as reported by The Northern Echo, Davey was declared dead at the location.

Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield reported that Davey passed away due to "positional asphyxia." The cause of her death was classified as an accident.

He mentioned that the bed likely pressed Davey down, causing her to end up on her back as she tried to rise.

Chipperfield mentioned that one of the gas-lift pistons on the bed wasn't functioning properly.

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