Britain, October 01: A 26-YEAR-OLD woman who drank poison was allowed to die in a British hospital after handing doctors a living will begging them not to save her life.
Kerrie Wooltorton, who was believed to be depressed about her inability to have children, drank antifreeze at her home before calling an ambulance to take her to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital.
However, when she arrived she handed over a letter, or living will, clearly stating she realised what she had done and did not want doctors to save her life.
A recent inquest into her death in September 2007 heard how the doctors had no legal alternative but to let her die because she had signed her living will.
If they had saved her, they risked being charged with assault.
Telegraph.co.uk reported that it was believed Wooltorton’s death marked the first time a British person had used a living will to commit suicide.
In his verdict, Norfolk coroner William Armstrong said the hospital was not to blame for Wooltorton’s death.
“She had capacity to consent to treatment which, it is more likely than not, would have prevented her death,” he said.
“She refused such treatment in full knowledge of the consequences and died as a result.”
—Agencies