Medical student given posthumous doctorate after taking her own life | UK News

Claire Laming had been upset by the death of her dog Marley, the death of a close friend, the revocation of her driving licence, isolation from her family and friends and missing a university deadline ahead of her death in January.

The 26-year-old was found dead at her home on Green Road, in Trent Vale by her best friend after taking an overdose.

An inquest has heard how two welfare request checks were made to Staffordshire Police by family and friends, and not acted upon, in the hours before Claire’s body was discovered.

Now Claire has been awarded her doctorate posthumously by Keele University, where she had been due to graduate from in June.

Mum Sarah Laming said: ‘Claire was a wonderful, loving daughter, sister and niece, a faithful friend, a diligent student and supportive colleague. She was clever, funny, fearless and everything she did was full-on and always to her own exacting standards.

‘At her best, Claire had great energy and empathy and I now find that I want to apply these qualities to the things I do. Others have said the same, so in some ways Claire lives on through us.

‘Claire will be greatly missed by all who knew her but our lives are richer for having known her. Rest in peace my beautiful girl.’

The inquest heard Claire had endured mental health struggles for six years, worsening when her beloved dog Marley died in December 2022.

Calls were made to Staffordshire Police at 10am and 1pm on January 13, but neither welfare check was made and best friend Genevieve Verso found Claire dead in the bathroom after using a key safe to gain entry.

Claire’s mum added: ‘I felt that the incident was badly handled. Genevieve was traumatised by what she saw. Police have had no contact with me since the events.’

North Staffordshire assistant coroner Duncan Ritchie delivered a suicide verdict, revealing Claire died from a ‘combination of lethal drugs’.

He said: ‘Claire was an intelligent young person who had a promising career ahead of her. She had struggled with her mental health for several years.’

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