21-Year-Old Woman In UK Found Dead After Taking Medication To Sleep

A 21-year-old woman in the United Kingdom was found dead at her home after taking medication to help her get to sleep. According to Manchester Evening News, the woman, identified as Chloe Caton, died on June 1 as she slept on a mattress in her mother's home in Newcastle. Ami Caton, Ms Chloe's mother, said that her daughter, who was a dental receptionist, was struggling with anxiety and depression in the days before her death. She tragically died in her sleep in June as she overdosed on prescribed sleeping medication. 

"She was an ex-smoker and a vape smoker. She was suffering from a bad cough in the week before her death. She had mentioned head flutters but didn't get to tell her General Practitioner (GP). She was blue and cold when I woke up," Ms Ami said, as per the outlet. 

The 21-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem toxicology report later found that she had medication to treat anxiety and insomnia in her system. 

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In a statement, Ms Chloe's GP said that she had taken antidepressants in the past but was struggling to sleep and was worried about losing her job due to lack of sleep. She had also been referred to a local mental health team after previously saying she had suicidal thoughts. The 21-year-old was then prescribed anti-anxiety and sleeping pills, the doctor said. 

"As a practice, we're deeply saddened to hear about her passing," Dr Hannah Bradshaw said, according to Manchester Evening News. 

The outlet also reported that Ms Chloe was not prescribed two of the medications in her system. Her post-mortem gave her cause of death as zopiclone toxicity, with the other medications as contributory factors. North Staffordshire assistant coroner Daniel Howe said, "The cause of death was zopiclone toxicity. She died at an address on Rothesay Avenue on June 1, 2023."

Speaking at the time of her death, Ms Ami described her daughter as "bubbly, king and caring". "She had the most infectious laugh on the planet," the mother said, adding, "She was not just my daughter, she was my best friend. We had our ups and downs, but she was my world".