Woman choked to death on chewing gum and falling asleep

 

A woman choked to death after falling asleep while chewing gum, an inquest heard this week.

Sulwen Jones, 55, chewed gum regularly which helped deal with having a dry mouth from medication.

 

But she was found dead at her home in Caernarfon, North Wales.

Her sister found her unconscious on October 5, 2021, and paramedics were not able to revive 

The inquest this week was told Sulwen took medication for multiple sclerosis, which she was diagnosed with exactly 20 years before she died.
 

Sulwen regularly chewed gum for her dry throat, the hearing heard.

 

Paramedics told the hearing in Caernarfon they believed she had fallen asleep with a piece in her mouth and choked.

 

A post mortem later found traces of chewing gum throughout her body including her airways.

Her medical cause of death was given as aspiration of chewing gum due to multiple sclerosis.

 

Assistant Coroner Sarah Riley returned a conclusion of accidental death.

 

She said: "I agree with pathologists in respect of the medical cause of death.

 

"Miss Jones’s death will be ruled as an accident due to the unexpected consequence of chewing gum."