Police end investigation into care home deaths

Police have concluded an investigation into the deaths of three care home residents who died in one night.

Two elderly men and one elderly woman died at Gainsborough Care Home in Swanage on 23 October last year.

Fifty residents were evacuated from the home after there were initial fears that carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of the deaths.

Dorset Police said forensic analysis had found that a 74-year-old man and a 86-year-old woman died of natural causes.

The death of a 91-year-old man was believed to be unnatural, the force said, but did not require further police investigation.

It said that the death would be the subject of inquest proceedings, but there was not evidence of third-party involvement or the contribution of any environmental factors.

Following this a 60-year-old local woman, who the BBC understands to be the manager of the care home, was arrested at the time on suspicion of manslaughter and gross negligence.

Dorset Police said its detectives were able to rule out any carbon monoxide leaks and the woman was later released without charge.

Det Chf Insp Neil Third said the families of those who had died were kept "fully updated" throughout the investigation.

"We also fully recognise the impact of these deaths and subsequent investigation had on the local community in Swanage," he said.

"And we want to thank residents of the town for the way they have rallied round to support those affected.

"I particularly want to thank residents of the care home and their families, who were displaced as we carried out enquiries at the scene to determine that there was no ongoing risk to the public."

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