A MISSING woman was found dead on a UK beach after vanishing over 300 miles away, an inquest has heard.
Margaret Barber, 67, went missing from her home in Mount Merrion, Dublin, on the morning of August 8, 2024.
Cockermouth Coroner’s Court heard Margaret was last seen by CCTV near Blackrock Station on the coast at around 5.40am.
She was then found by a member of the public on the beach at Workington on the west coast in Cumbria on August 30, 2024.
Husband Donal Kavanagh told how Margaret had been diagnosed with depression in 2011.
His wife, who was manager of the Mount Merrion Community Centre, was also prescribed medication.
He said she had been to hospital several times between 2011 and 2017 for mental health issues.
But Mr Kavanagh explained how it was “completely unexpected” when just days before her death she said that “her mood had dropped and she felt very low”.
At one point Mr Kavanagh called St Patrick’s University Hospital for his wife after her consultant psychiatrist, Dr Conor Farren, requested that she receive inpatient treatment.
It was later revealed that she had not picked up her anti-depressant venlafaxine prescription between February 28 and the end of July, unbeknown to her GP.
Mr Kavanagh said she thought it might be contributing to her recent weight gain.
Margaret was a “very good parent” he told the court and seemed in good spirits on the night before she disappeared.
He woke up to the sound of the front door shutting at 5.20am and assumed his wife has gone for a stroll after not being able to sleep.
Mr Kavanagh grew concerned and started searching for her after she didn’t return at 8am.
Later that evening she was reported missing, which led to a frantic hunt for Margaret.
Officers confirmed that their search had been stood down after her body was tragically discovered and confirmed by dental impressions.
The toxicology report showed “nothing of significance” and it was suspected that she’d probably died by drowning.
Assistant coroner for Cumbria Margaret Taylor said: “We know that Margaret had gone to the beach, she went into water.
“Sadly, it’s not unusual for this to happen. It is either Walney Island or Workington where bodies usually are found if they’ve entered the water in Ireland.
“I have to conclude Margaret’s death was suicide.”
