Mum Linsey Sharp killed by cocaine overdose at 28 - a week after losing baby

A MUM died in her fiancé's arms from a cocaine overdose – less than a week after losing her baby.

Linsey Sharp, 28, was an aspiring nurse who had been accepted to study at university before she became pregnant with her second child.

While grieving after a miscarriage just over ten weeks into her pregnancy, Miss Sharp took less than two grams of cocaine, drank cider and smoked cannabis with her partner, before collapsing in her bedroom.

Her fiancé, Jamie Welford, 31, held her and attempted CPR after the cocaine triggered cardiac arrhythmia, in which the heart's normal rhythm is disrupted.

He called for an ambulance and paramedics battled for 35 minutes but were unable to save her.

Miss Sharp's family described her as a "bubbly young woman", but who was depressed after losing her baby.

Her mother, Susan Sharp, 59, said: "We're just distraught and cannot believe this has happened.

"She was not an addict. Linsey had taken drugs because she was upset.

"Linsey was a happy-go-lucky child and her daughter is the spitting image of her.

"We all miss her and she will never be forgotten."

An inquest in Hull heard the couple had taken drugs in the past but kicked the habit when Miss Sharp found out she was pregnant with daughter Jaime-Leigh, who will be four this month.

After discovering she was pregnant with her second child, Linsey deferred her placement at the University of York and the couple were looking forward to becoming parents again.

Mr Welford said: "The cocaine was high-quality and I bought it in Bridlington, but we'd taken it before and didn't think it would be the reason for her death.

"When she died in my arms, I just felt sick but I was glad she wasn't alone. I would never do drugs again and advise others not to either."

The couple met in a nightclub and had known each other for about 14 years before getting together six years ago.

Mr Welford proposed in Mauritius in 2007 and they were due to fly to Barbados in 2014 to get married.

He said: "Both of us had been saving up and we just wanted to get away in the sun."

The inquest heard Miss Sharp had been in pain after the miscarriage and was still losing blood days later.

Mr Welford said they had taken drugs twice during the night at home before smoking cannabis and going to bed.

At about 6am, he saw his fiancée's eyes roll back and, when she fell on to his chest, he thought she had passed out.

He said: "I started flicking cold water on to her face to wake her up. I then noticed her lips going blue and couldn't feel her breathing anymore."

Paramedic Paul Colclough was shown upstairs by Mr Welford, after he phoned for an ambulance, and discovered Miss Sharp lying on the bedroom floor of their home in Bridlington.

Mr Colclough said: "Her partner was performing CPR and we took over but, after 35 minutes, she was still unresponsive."

Miss Sharp had been bleeding heavily and her family felt her death could have been as a result of losing her baby.

However, pathologist Dr Ian Richmond, who carried out the post mortem, said although he found evidence of a recent pregnancy, she did not die as a result of miscarriage.

He said: "There was cocaine found in her system and, because she hadn't taken it for a while, she would have had little tolerance to it."

Coroner Paul Stott delivered a verdict of accidental death due to the misuse of drugs and said the cocaine had "fatal circumstances" for Miss Sharp.

A memorial gig was held for her at the O2 Academy in Sheffield and dozens of friends and family attended her funeral at East Riding Crematorium in Driffield on July 6.

Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You was among the songs played at the service.

Mr Welford said: "She loved animals, fun fairs and dance music and used to care for her mother when she fell ill.

"It's the reason she wanted to become a nurse.

"Our daughter doesn't really understand yet but she knows her mother isn't here anymore.

"At the moment I just keep telling her, 'Mummy is an angel'."