Coroner 'at loss' to explain how mother and daughter died

A coroner is "at a loss" to explain the deaths of a mother and daughter who were found in their north London home, six months after last being seen.

Zarin Adatia, 84, and her daughter Tasneem, 48, were found in a council flat in East Finchley, last November by gas inspectors.

An inquest at North London Coroner's Court heard there was no suicide note or signs of forced entry.

The rent on the flat was being paid every month they were not seen.

A post-mortem examination found their cause of death to be unascertained while no toxicology report could be carried out due to the passage of time.

It heard that Tasneem suffered from diabetes and was her mother's carer.

Zarin was almost immobile and had "ailments", but did not suffer from any known medical conditions.

Neighbours became concerned for the welfare of the Kenyan-born pair in April that year, but it was initially assumed they had gone on holiday.

Gas inspectors sent six letters, made three phone calls and knocked on the door three times between last September and the day they were found on 24 November.

Met PC Asad Iqbal said the gas engineers had obtained a court warrant to force entry into the property and, on arrival, found the lifeless remains of the mother and daughter.

Red sticker warning

A red sticker warning people not to try to enter the property was on the door shortly before they were discovered.

An empty packet of co-codamol and Tasneem's mobile phone, which was on charge, were found on a table next to her and fans in the room were switched on.

Assistant coroner Peter Straker told family members in court: "It is an incredibly difficult case to get any handle on, to get any understanding on.

"I am left purely with speculation and I am not entitled to speculate as to what may have happened.

"When I read of your mother and how they were found I was left thinking about carbon monoxide, gas safety but there was no evidence of that being a contributory factor.

"I had a glancing thought towards suicide but found nothing to suggest that was a reasonable explanation.

"It is very difficult to think of anything that is not speculation and even natural causes might be speculation.

"I am at a loss. I don't know what to say."

The coroner recorded an open verdict.

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