An investigation into the tragic incident involving a woman and her disabled eight-year-old daughter has revealed that the mother took the life of her child before ending her own. Emergency responders discovered the bodies of Martina Karos, 40, and Eleni Edwards at their residence in Kersal, Salford, on September 23, 2024, after Eleni did not show up for school.
Following an entry forced by responders, the distressing discovery was made in a bedroom. The coroner’s court in Bolton conducted simultaneous inquests into the deaths of Martina and Eleni this week. After three days of evidence, area coroner Peter Sigee concluded that Ms. Karos died by suicide, and Eleni was unlawfully killed.
The ruling stated that Ms. Karos intentionally created a situation leading to carbon monoxide poisoning that resulted in the tragic deaths. Despite receiving substantial support and care from various sources, including family, friends, and professionals, Ms. Karos felt extreme loneliness and isolation, ultimately leading to the devastating outcome.
The inquests revealed that Eleni had severe disabilities since infancy, including blindness, non-verbal communication, and limited mobility, with Martina being her primary caregiver. Martina, a Polish translator and linguist, had been undergoing treatment for anxiety and depression and had been prescribed anti-depressants in the years preceding the incident.
Although Martina’s mental health had shown improvement in the months leading up to the incident, a previous decline had been noted, with concerns about her expressing suicidal thoughts. Despite being on a child protection plan due to perceived emotional harm risk, professionals involved did not report immediate concerns before the tragic event.
The conclusion highlighted that Ms. Karos decided to end her life due to concerns about her daughter’s future care, leading to the heartbreaking decision to end both their lives. Professionals involved were found not to have contributed to the deaths, and no failures in the care and support provided were identified.