Gaynor Lord, whose body was found in Norwich river, had watched cold water swimming TV show, inquest hears | UK News
Gaynor Lord, a mother of three, was found dead in the River Wensum in Norwich a week after she disappeared in December of the previous year. The coroner stated that she had recently watched a television show about cold water swimming and had discussed this with her husband and a friend before her death. The conclusion of the inquest was death by misadventure, with a finding that Ms. Lord had intended to enter the water but did not intend to die by her actions. The 55-year-old woman was on hormone replacement therapy for menopause and medication for epilepsy at the time of her death.
It was reported that Gaynor Lord’s body was discovered 2.5 meters underwater and she was found not clothed. There was no presence of alcohol or drugs of abuse in her blood, and there was no evidence of assault. Special divers located her body in the river after a week of searching. Her husband revealed that she had recently watched a TV program on swimming in ice-cold water, although she had never done so herself. He speculated that in her confused state, she may have been thinking about this when entering the water. Her husband stated there was no apparent reason for her to be in Wensum Park where her belongings were found.
Ms. Lord’s mental health was described as stable in January of the previous year, but there were indications of her acting out of character recently. Analysis of her phone showed messages indicating distress and confusion on the afternoon of her disappearance. She had sent a message saying “help” to a contact who had passed away and expressed feelings of fear and not knowing what she was doing. Additionally, she had viewed pictures of her family and her deceased dog before her death. Her medical cause of death was determined to be immersion and drowning.
In her last known conversation with her husband before they left for work, Gaynor Lord had discussed holiday plans with no arguments. Her husband stated that there was no apparent reason for her to be in Wensum Park as it was not a place they had visited before. The details of her disappearance and the circumstances leading up to her death were carefully examined during the inquest. Despite finding her intentions to enter the water, there was a conclusion that Ms. Lord did not plan to die from her actions. The tragic incident highlights the importance of understanding mental health and its impact on decision-making in situations of distress.
