Woman whose body was found in North Shields shopping centre died amid drug and alcohol battle
by David Huntley · ChronicleLiveA woman whose body was found in a North Shields shopping centre sadly died amid a long battle with drugs and alcohol.
Sonia Little was found in a toilet cubicle by a cleaner at the Beacon Shopping Centre on August 1 this year. The 46-year-old mother had a history of drug and alcohol problems leading up to her death.
A post-mortem found Sonia, who was from Wallsend, had a mixture of drugs and alcohol in her system at the time of her death. On Monday, an inquest at Newcastle Coroner's Court heard that her medical cause of death was due to the effects of a combination of drugs. There was also evidence of intravenous drug use and "mixed-drug and alcohol intoxication".
Alongside other drugs, cocaine, morphine and alcohol were found to be in Sonia's system. The inquest heard that Sonia had been dependent on drugs since 2001.
Senior Coroner Georgina Nolan told the court: "A cleaner for North Tyneside Council attended the toilets at the Beacon Centre on his second clean of the day at 1.30pm. A body was found in a cubicle and 999 was called." The emergency services soon descended on the Saville Street centre after being called by the cleaner.
Coroner Nolan added that Sonia had "significant issues" with substance and alcohol use and had previously been offered support when she was able to engage. She said: "Sonia had a long history of substance abuse and died at the Beacon Shopping Centre car park toilets." The coroner concluded that Sonia's death was "drug and alcohol related".
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