Sister with ‘heart of gold’ found dead in Eastbourne home

A 44-year-old woman died at her home in Eastbourne earlier this year, an inquest heard.

The inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall on Thursday (December 2), heard Anna-Marie Crowhurst, a care assistant from Elms Avenue, was found on the morning of March 1 this year.

Dr Grace Castronovo, Ms Crowhurst’s GP, said she was in the care of the local psychiatric team for a number of years. She said Ms Crowhurst also had a history of drug use, personality disorder, and schizophrenia affective disorder.

Paula Weakford, from the Sussex Partnership Trust, said Ms Crowhurst had been known to the mental health services for 20 years and substance misuse had ‘impacted her lifestyle’.

Toxicology reports found signs of cocaine in her system, the inquest heard.

Sarah Allen, Ms Crowhurst’s sister, said, “She had a lovely kind and caring nature. She had a heart of gold and would go out of her way to help anyone.

“She had mental health problems and fell into the trap of taking crack cocaine.”

Ms Allen told the inquest she spoke to her sister the night before she died, and on the call she was making plans for the future.

She said, “She couldn’t wait to come and stay with me and the kids in the near future. She was surrounded by family who loved and adored her.”

Ms Crowhurst lived with her partner of 11 years, Sean McGarry.

Sean said when he woke up on the morning of March 1, Ms Crowhurst was dead. He called the emergency services and was told to give CPR, but Ms Crowhurst was pronounced dead by paramedics that morning.

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze ruled Ms Crowhurst died due to dependence on drugs and said there was no evidence to suggest she took the drugs to end her own life that night.