Grandmother of Baby Killed by Dog Commits Suicide

Paula Williamson, the grandmother of tragic Archie-Lee Hirst, the baby killed by a dog in Yorkshire, committed suicide a hearing has found.

Baby Archie was killed when he was being looked after by his 16-year old Aunt and her two sisters aged 6 and 7. He was taken into the family’s back yard to meet the dog by the young sisters where he was killed.

Paul Williamson, 42, took a massive overdose of painkillers in order to end her own life.

She was taking Oxycodone painkillers at the time of her death, an inquest heard.

A post-mortem report on Mrs Williamson revealed she had 179,000 mg of the drug in her system which equates to 78 tablets.

The court hearing was told that Mrs Williamson had complained of stomach pains before her death. On April 12th she went to bed and was unconscious and not responsive when found by her 18-year old son, Ryan who immediately called an ambulance. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate her but she was pronounced dead that morning.

The hearing was told that Mrs Williamson had tried to take her life before and had a history of mental illness.

Deputy coroner Richard Manning advised that she had stored up sufficient numbers of the drugs, which she had only be supplied in a limited doses, with the express purpose of taking he own life. The suicide came not long after Archie’s death.

West Yorkshire police said there was not sufficient evidence to press criminal charges in relation to Archie’s death.