Nobody knows how Alicia Douglass died despite serious injury to her neck
Alicia Douglass led a troubled life but was a wonderful mum, her family said(Image: Facebook)
The body of a Sheffield mum who left behind a six-year-old daughter was not found for weeks after she died.
Alicia Douglass, 35, was found at her house in Wincobank in Sheffield on August 7, 2024. South Yorkshire Police initially arrested her ex-partner, a 31-year-old male, on suspicion of murder, but he was never charged and the investigation was closed.
Sheffield Coroner’s Court heard how police were unable to accurately ascertain the cause of death due to the decomposition of Alicia’s body. There was no evidence of third-party involvement at the scene. A pathologist estimated Alicia had been dead for “two to four weeks” before she was found, and she was last seen on CCTV on July 23.
Hannah Berry, assistant coroner, concluded the reason for her death was “open”.
Hayley Bates, Alicia’s cousin, told the court: “She had a troubled life, but she leaves behind a six-year-old daughter. If there’s anything she got right, it was being a mum to Ava.” She added: “Alicia’s mum would like a reason for why her daughter died and to be able to tell Ava what happened to her mum.”
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Leanne Watts, also a cousin of Alicia, added: “We understand the decomposition makes it difficult to determine certain evidence. The circumstances, to me, are suspicious in themselves. How can you explain it?”
Evidence provided by DS Liam Milner showed Alicia was last seen in July looking “yellow all over” and extremely sick. DS Milner said the police found her after she was reported missing by a friend. She was lying across her bed with several empty bottles of cider in the room.
The ex-partner was charged following a domestic abuse incident in February on July 25, just two weeks before Alicia was found. DS Milner admitted there were concerns this was “the catalyst for something that happened in the flat”. A knife was also found under her pillow.
However, DS Milner said there was “nothing at the scene that indicated any third-party involvement”. He said the police found “no evidence” the ex-partner was involved. He was released and the investigation was closed.
Alicia Douglass (South Yorkshire Police)
A pathologist’s report highlighted concerns regarding bruising around the neck area due to a fractured larynx. However, due to the decomposition of the body, it was not possible to determine whether this contributed to Alicia’s death. There was also evidence she had taken painkillers, including tramadol and mitrazapine, but the decomposition of the body made it difficult to determine the precise quantities in the bloodstream.
Dr Lumb said: “Although the larynx fracture was concerning, it was not possible to be certain of the cause of Alicia’s death.”
A GP report said Alicia suffered from alcohol and painkiller abuse, was a victim of sexual assault, and had made several attempts to take her own life. She had not been prescribed the painkillers found in her system.
Ms Berry said: “Alicia was last seen alive on CCTV on July 23 on CCTV. She had been dead for some time, and her body was decomposed. This made subsequent investigations difficult. Dr Lumb was concerned she may have been subjected to pressure to her neck, but was unable to confirm this.
“The police investigated this incident fully but did not find anything suspicious. The investigation found that friends and acquaintances reported Alicia was unwell. In particular, she was yellow and was vomiting. She had reported she was struggling to eat and was very thin.
“As a result, on the balance of probabilities, it cannot be said how Alicia died. There are many possible explanations, but on the balance of probabilities, it just cannot be said. So, with respect to the cause of death, I accept that of Dr Lumb, unascertained. My conclusion to Alicia’s death is open.”
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