Tragedy of beloved mum whose death sparked murder investigation - before true cause of death discovered

A beloved mother whose death sparked a murder investigation fell fatally ill from the combined effects of alcohol and prescription medication, a coroner has concluded.

Emma Francesca Jay - known as Francesca to friends and family - was described as a 'force of nature'. The 31-year-old was found unresponsive at her home on Bateson Street, Stockport, in the early hours of Friday, December 1 last year.

Emergency services raced to the scene, on the outskirts of the town centre, but she sadly could not be saved. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) launched a murder enquiry and arrested a man.

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The following day, the force said the probe had been dropped and the man de-arrested. An inquest into Francesca's death at South Manchester Coroners' Court in Stockport has now shed light on the tragedy.

A coroner's report reveals mum-of-two Francesca 'faced challenges with her mental health' and, after an intentional overdose in January 2023, sought help from mental health services and her GP, who prescribed medication.

On Thursday, November 30, she socialised with friends and her partner and drank alcohol, the record of the inquest heard by assistant coroner Anna Morris states. She returned home and continued to drink before getting ready for bed.

Her partner left the property to pick up a prescription for her. When he returned, he found her on her back on the floor. She wasn't breathing.

He called for an ambulance, but paramedics were unable to revive Francesca and she was pronounced dead. Toxicology tests carried found 'very high blood alcohol concentration levels', as well as 'therapeutic use' of three prescribed medications.

"It is likely that combined