A KIDDERMINSTER mother struggling to get over the death of her baby son died of a heroin overdose and alcoholic intoxication, an inquest heard.

Nicole Atherton, 33, of Whinchat Grove, was found dead in her friend, Richard Poultney’s, bed on September 30 last year, after spending the night at his flat, in Robin Court.

Unemployed Mr Poultney said he thought Miss Atherton, who was trying to “pull herself together” since the death of her son, Alfie, was fast asleep when he left her in bed to go to the doctors at about 10.30am.

“I said to Nic, ‘I’ve got to go to the doctors. If you go out just shut the door behind you’,” Mr Poultney told the inquest.

On his way back from his appointment, Mr Poultney saw a housing officer outside MIss Atherton’s home and went back to the flat to wake her at about 11.14am.

“I came back to my flat and then opened the bedroom door,” Mr Poultney, who now lives in Lorne Street, explained, “Nic was still fast asleep.

“She was still in the same position with her hand over her head - that’s why I didn’t think anything.”

He added that he sent a text message to their friend, Claire Wright, to explain Miss Atherton was sleeping.

But when Miss Wright arrived at the flat, minutes later, she noticed Miss Atherton was dead, the inquest was told.

Miss Atherton had spent the evening at Mr Poultney’s flat drinking alcohol but Mr Poultney said he did not see her take any drugs, as she was in and out of the house.

The inquest heard that Miss Atherton had tried to harm herself and commit suicide after Alfie died and had started drinking a lot of alcohol.

She saw a psychiatric nurse on September 24 and denied any thoughts of self harm because of her two older children.

“She was never going to get over Alfie,” Mr Poultney told the court, “I saw her carrying photos of him.

“When she was upset she would knock my door all hours of the morning.”

In a statement read out in court, Miss Wright said Miss Atherton did not seem like she was going to harm herself the night before she died.

“Nic’s baby died,” the statement added, “She tried to harm herself and also tried to commit suicide.

“Also, since the death, Nic had been drinking a lot of alcohol. She was trying to pull herself together. She had cut down on drinking.”

Deputy coroner, Margaret Barnard, recorded a verdict of accidental death.

An inquest last November heard that two-month-old, Alfie Barber died of sudden infant death syndrome at his home, on July 26 last year. He was found dead in his pram.