A mother tragically passed away after getting strangled by her dogs’ leads as the pets attempted to help her get back on her feet following a fall.
47-year-old Deborah Mary Roberts from Wales, UK, was a dog lover who enjoyed walking her two Staffordshire bull terriers around her home in Wrexham.
As the inquest heard, the mother-of-four, who suffered from Huntington’s disease, collapsed while walking her dogs together with her young niece.
After falling to the ground, Roberts was strangled by her dogs’ leads as the loyal pets started pulling on them in a presumed attempt to get their owner back on her feet.
The mother was eventually found lying lifeless on the grass in Garden Village by two workers who were alerted by the woman’s niece.
As the coroner revealed, they were told that the 47-year-old often placed her dogs’ leashes around her neck when the animals were allowed to roam around freely.
According to the deceased mother’s family, Deborah’s staffies were “loving and caring pets” that most likely wanted to help their owner stand up by pulling on the leads she placed around her neck prior to her fall.
“They are beautiful dogs. If you met them now they’d just jump up and lick you. All they were doing is trying to help my mum when she fell,” son Robert said.
Speaking of the tragic moment he came across Deborah’s body, one of the workers who found her said: “I noticed a young girl running towards me crying, saying ‘can you help me, someone is choking.’”
He also noted how he saw the victim’s dogs pulling on the leads and causing the 47-year-old’s body to move.
In a statement, the worker’s colleague added that the dogs were whimpering at the time the pair closed in on the lifeless woman.
Following the woman’s premature passing, locals placed tributes and flowers near the scene of the accident in Deborah’s memory.
“Dear Auntie Deb, Thank you for all the happy memories we shared together at playgroup. Forever in our hearts,” one letter read.
“All the children who started their journey at playgroup will cherish every minute of your wicked sense of humor, infectious smile and lots of cuddles and kisses. You had a heart of gold. Gone but never forgotten.”
Our thoughts are with Deborah’s family and friends during these tough times.
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