A British woman was accidentally strangled in her own pajamas in what the coroner described as one of the most “unusual” cases she has ever seen.
Jackie Michelle Cottrill, 52, a popular bartender, described that she had “thrown a pint at every Blackburn pub,” suffocated to death when her pajamas got stuck in the oven while she was preparing a bacon sandwich for her nephew, according to a survey.
Cottrill’s lifeless body was discovered at his home on Jan. 24 by his nephew Josh Brocklebank, LancsLive reported.
Brocklebank, who had been living with his aunt, went downstairs to find that his clothes had been stuck in the oven after he made her sandwich.
Dr. James Adeley, a forensic scientist, said Wednesday during a court hearing that “he had never encountered such an unusual case” in his 20 years of work.
Her cause of death was noted as suffocation caused by neck compression after the top of her pajamas accidentally became entangled in the oven door, the media reported.
“It’s very unusual for someone who was fit and managed to accidentally hang themselves from the oven door,” Adeley told the court.
“What seems to have happened is that for some reason he fell and grabbed the top of his pajamas on the bottom handle of the oven door,” he said. “I can’t explain how he ended up in that position: it’s a very unusual case.”
The investigation learned that Cottrill had suffered a stroke six years ago, but that he did not suffer from any balance problems.
Cottrill’s two daughters, Sarah Ramsdale and Toni Cottrill, attended the hearing along with her uncle, Adrian Macfarlane.
“Only she knows how it happened,” Ramsdale said.
The tragic waitress was well known in Blackburn, where she worked at the Queens Park Club, Clifton and Railway Club, and became known as “everyone’s dying aunt,” according to LancsLive.
“She knew everything about everyone and was never shy with a little gossip,” her daughters told LancsLive.
“Her wonderful sense of humor pleased everyone she came in contact with and is a great testament to her nature that she formed so many lasting relationships over the years,” they added.