31 when this also failed, she walked

One of the first officers to arrive at the scene

noted evidence of a poor attempt

to clean up the mess;

watered-down blood in the kitchen.

Officers noted how her husband had blood on his clothes.

His brother, who received a call at work

urging him to rush round to the house,

had dirt on his hands.

Both men were arrested

but cleared of any involvement;

close examinations of the pattern of blood

ruled out foul play.

Her husband had woken up to find her missing.

He discovered an empty packets of painkillers,

blood,

a note.

She had been worrying about a meeting she was due to have

to discuss her entitlement to disability benefits.

Her health problems meant she had to give up

her job at the bakery. She was described

as cheerful, hardworking and trusted.

Her husband’s model shop had recently collapsed,

plunging the couple into financial difficulties.

They were forced to sell her childhood home.

It was likely

she had walked to the shed to fetch craft knives

in order to cut herself

after finding a serrated kitchen knife

was not sharp enough.

When this also failed, she walked to the Drain –

fifteen minutes from the couple’s home –

where her body was found.

She had died of drowning,

more than ten self-inflicted cuts

on her wrists.