Elderly woman who died after 30ft fall at Telford library took own life, coroner rules
An elderly woman who plunged 30ft to her death inside Telford's Southwater Library took her own life, an inquest heard.
The body of Janet Emily Halford, 72, was discovered shortly before midnight on April 26.
She died of multiple injuries following the fall and was found next to the escalators on floor one by a security guard hours after the building was locked.
Police at the time said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.
An inquest, held at Wellington Civic Centre in Wellington yesterday, heard Shropshire Coroner John Ellery record a verdict of suicide.
He said a note "consistent with Mrs Halford talking her own life" had been find inside her clothing.
Mr Ellery said: "She did kill herself - it was not an accident
"She must have known she would fall 30ft."
Mrs Halford was born in Wellington and lived at Smith Crescent in Wrockwardine Wood, Telford. She had been married for forty years.
Detective Sergeant Ian Rutherford, of Telford Police Station, told the inquest: " She left home that morning at around 11.45am. A security guard discovered the body of Mrs Halford between the escalaor unit on the first floor at around 11.30pm.
"She was seen moving around the library area that afternoon
"We believe she gained entry to an area where she was not seen as people were locking up at 4pm. She was inside the library when it was locked. "
Mr Ellery told the inquest that the local authority had increased security at the library since Mrs Halford's death.
