Georgina Roberts tells inquest that she helped her parents David and Elizabeth Arnold to kill themselves at their home in Newbury, Berkshire, out of "compassion and love"
A GP’s daughter told on Wednesday how she prepared a lethal drug to help her
elderly parents commit suicide on “the hardest day of my life”.
David Arnold, 82, a retired doctor left bedridden after a leg amputation, and
his wife Elizabeth, 85, a former teacher who had Alzheimer’s Disease, killed
themselves at home after watching the Proms on television, an inquest heard.
Their daughter, Georgina Roberts, 59, had bought the fatal medication online,
which she gave to her parents with a chocolate to mask the drug’s bitter
taste, as well as a whisky for her father and a glass of port for her
mother.
Mrs Roberts said they quickly slipped into a deep sleep and she stood watching
them in “stunned silence” for 20 minutes.
The couple had previously made a failed attempt to kill themselves, and
approached the Dignitas assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland but were
turned down because of Mrs Arnold’s dementia, the inquest in Newbury,
Berkshire heard.
They “could not face life apart” and had spoken openly to family, friends and even doctors of their plan to end their lives together when they became too ill, the hearing was told.
Giving evidence, Mrs Roberts said her father had insisted that it was up to her mother when they would finally kill themselves.
She added: “My actions were motivated entirely by compassion and love for my mother and father.”
On July 13, 2012 Dr and Mrs Arnold talked on and off for hours about acting out the suicide pact they had entered into five years earlier, the inquest heard
Their daughter recalled: "Mum told me dad had talked to her. He had had enough and so had she. She said she did not want to go on. She was getting worse with her memory and she didn't want to live without dad.
"I knew then that this was going to be the hardest day of my life."
Mrs Roberts said she asked them if they were sure it was the day, and they replied that it was but they wanted to see the Proms first.
She described mixing up the drug and giving it to her parents, adding: “Mum drank it very fast. Dad took his and drank it and I gave them both a chocolate each. Dad then had a whisky and mum had a port, I think.
“They quickly slipped into a deep sleep. I stood there for 20 minutes in stunned silence watching them. It was surreal."
Mrs Roberts later phoned 999 and rang her brothers Stephen and Simon to tell them what had happened.
She initially told police that she was not at her parents’ house in Newbury when they killed themselves, but later corrected her story.
Defending her actions, she said: “I'm a human being who loved my parents very deeply and wanted to help them when they couldn't help themselves.”
Assisting someone to commit suicide is a criminal offence, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided it was not in the public interest to charge Mrs Roberts with any offence.
The Berkshire coroner, Peter Bedford, recorded a narrative verdict, saying: "Mrs Arnold and Dr Arnold had discussed openly and over a period of years their intention to end their lives if they felt their quality of life was deteriorating to a point when it was no longer worth living.
"I fully accept from all the evidence I've heard that Georgina was genuinely motivated by compassion and a genuine desire to carry out her parent's wishes."
Source : telegraph
They “could not face life apart” and had spoken openly to family, friends and even doctors of their plan to end their lives together when they became too ill, the hearing was told.
Giving evidence, Mrs Roberts said her father had insisted that it was up to her mother when they would finally kill themselves.
She added: “My actions were motivated entirely by compassion and love for my mother and father.”
On July 13, 2012 Dr and Mrs Arnold talked on and off for hours about acting out the suicide pact they had entered into five years earlier, the inquest heard
Their daughter recalled: "Mum told me dad had talked to her. He had had enough and so had she. She said she did not want to go on. She was getting worse with her memory and she didn't want to live without dad.
"I knew then that this was going to be the hardest day of my life."
Mrs Roberts said she asked them if they were sure it was the day, and they replied that it was but they wanted to see the Proms first.
She described mixing up the drug and giving it to her parents, adding: “Mum drank it very fast. Dad took his and drank it and I gave them both a chocolate each. Dad then had a whisky and mum had a port, I think.
“They quickly slipped into a deep sleep. I stood there for 20 minutes in stunned silence watching them. It was surreal."
Mrs Roberts later phoned 999 and rang her brothers Stephen and Simon to tell them what had happened.
She initially told police that she was not at her parents’ house in Newbury when they killed themselves, but later corrected her story.
Defending her actions, she said: “I'm a human being who loved my parents very deeply and wanted to help them when they couldn't help themselves.”
Assisting someone to commit suicide is a criminal offence, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided it was not in the public interest to charge Mrs Roberts with any offence.
The Berkshire coroner, Peter Bedford, recorded a narrative verdict, saying: "Mrs Arnold and Dr Arnold had discussed openly and over a period of years their intention to end their lives if they felt their quality of life was deteriorating to a point when it was no longer worth living.
"I fully accept from all the evidence I've heard that Georgina was genuinely motivated by compassion and a genuine desire to carry out her parent's wishes."
Source : telegraph
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