Inquest into Homeless Mother’s Death Adjourned for Further Evidence

The inquest examining the death of a 21-year-old mother in Hereford has been postponed. This adjournment aims to facilitate the collection of additional evidence concerning the circumstances of her passing. Natasha Jade Ashby, known as Tasha, passed away on 7 August 2023 at Hereford county bus station, having been sleeping rough in a tent located in the station’s car park. During a hearing held on Monday, Herefordshire’s assistant coroner, Roland Wooderson, stated that a post-mortem examination determined the cause of death as heroin toxicity. Nevertheless, he approved a request from Ms Ashby’s family to defer a final hearing. This delay is intended to investigate the measures Herefordshire Council had implemented to assist her. Ciara Bartlam, legal counsel representing the family, informed the hearing at Hereford town hall that the court possessed insufficient evidence to render a conclusive verdict. She added that reviews into the death conducted by Herefordshire’s safeguarding partnership and West Mercia Police had raised significant concerns for the family, and these reports had only been provided to the family a few days prior to the hearing. Ms Bartlam indicated that evidence suggested the heroin might not have been self-injected. She stated, “Another verdict, of unlawful killing, looms large over this,” contending that an adjournment would provide West Mercia Police with an opportunity to obtain formal statements from individuals who had observed the woman in the period preceding her death. When prompted for comment by the assistant coroner, Det Insp Catherine Taylor informed the hearing that although several individuals had communicated with the force’s investigation, they had shown reluctance to furnish written statements. She explained that without adequate evidence of unlawful killing, it was challenging to compel people to provide such statements. Ms Bartlam further stated that the safeguarding review concerning Ms Ashby’s death prompted her family to consider if “systemic failings” within Herefordshire Council contributed to the situation. She asserted, “She was a 21-year-old care leaver to whom the council owed a duty of responsibility.” The family, she added, sought answers regarding why Ms Ashby was homeless at the time of her death and why she had not received support from adult safeguarding teams. Mr Wooderson concurred that additional evidence could be procured from various agencies concerning the reasons for her sleeping rough at the time of her death. He remarked, “It seems to me that there is some force in Ms Bartlam’s argument,” adding, “More investigation needs to be made to see what Herefordshire Council were doing.” Nevertheless, he expressed doubt that West Mercia Police would succeed in securing formal witness statements from individuals residing in a “chaotic environment.” He commented, “With the best will in the world, the police just aren’t going to be able to get them.” A specific date for the conclusive hearing has not yet been scheduled.