Mother-of-two, 44, took her own life with 'suicide kit' delivered to front door, inquest hears
A mother-of-two took her own life after ordering a deadly chemical to her doorstep, an inquest heard.
Listen to this article
Charity worker Jane Colechin, 44, began searching for the fatal substance online as she became gripped by a battle with severe anxiety.
It arrived at the property she lived in with partner Sean Gleeson and their twin sons in Forest Gate, east London.
Det Con Sam Drury of the Metropolitan Police, said he and his team had been probing Ms Colechin’s death as part of a wider investigation into the substance, which has been linked to at least five deaths and has been dubbed a "suicide-kit" when ordered online.
“I looked through her mobile phone for keywords relating to this (the substance) and found 1,360 instances of them between 1 December 2024 and 1 January 2025.
"She also went onto a website which provides information relating to suicide and the chemical as well as a Royal Mail tracking service for a parcel with the chemical,” he told an inquest at East London Coroner’s Court.
Read more: Rob Burrow's dad Geoff dies as tributes pour in for 'tireless' MND campaigner
The chemical was found in her body at 46,860 times higher than in a normal fasted person, a toxicology report revealed.
The inquest heard how Ms Colechin’s mental health began spiralling after the birth of her twin boys Josh and Fred in 2017.
She appeared to recover not long after and was seemingly fine for years, with loved ones describing her as “loving, fiercely intelligent, vivacious and unfiltered”.
But in 2024, her mental health began to deteriorate again when she contracted a virus and started suffering from bouts of insomnia and anxiety, leading to workplace stress.
She was later prescribed the anti-anxiety drug clonazepam which appeared to help at first, according to her husband, but she later sank back into problems amid a growing dependency on benzodiazepines.
After seeing a GP several times in November and December she was referred to a psychologist.
On December 23, she reached a new low and attempted to contact the Newham Home Treatment Team, following a referral, but was told she needed to call 111.
Coroner Nadia Persaud found it was “possible” rather than “probable” that her death could have been spared if the team was able to see her that day.
She visited A&E at Newham Hospital on December 30, saying she had anxiety but was turned away as psychiatrists were only seeing patients with associated physical ailments.
She was driven by a nurse from Newham’s crisis team to the Community Integrated Mental Health Team, but told she needed to wait several hours before a doctor could see her.
Medical staff said at the inquest that Ms Colechin presented well and denied suicidal thoughts, meaning she was not deemed a risk.
She then made a same-day appointment with her GP’s surgery and the doctor prescribing higher doses of medication.
On New Year’s Day 2025, Mr Gleeson returned to the family home and could not find his wife in the house.
He dropped the boys at his neighbours and searched all over the house, before finding his wife’s body in the basement.
An ambulance arrived three minutes after he called 999 but Ms Colechin was already dead.
The grieving husband told the inquest the couple had planned out their futures together.
“We had a great time. I couldn’t have wished for anything more. The boys had someone who understood their needs so well,” he said.
In a tribute on a Gofundme page, which has raised more than £7,500, Ms Colechin’s friend Suzanne Hu wrote: “She was endlessly empathetic, and gave her time, advice and kind words to anyone who needed them, be they friends or whatsapp strangers. She seemed to be able to talk knowledgeably about anything and everything, from international politics to internationally trashy TV.
“She had the wickedest sense of humour, and the most infectious cackle, especially when recounting unfiltered tales of her various shenanigans and escapades. She was gregarious, fizzed with joy when around those she loved, and was the fiercest Mama Bear to her boys.”
She added that “all funds raised will go directly to Sean to help with the immediate costs arising out of this heartbreaking situation such as Jane’s funeral expenses and the financial challenges that come with losing half of the family income”.
The Royal Mail said it is legally obligated not to open items. They work closely with the police, Border Force and other agencies and report any suspicious items should they come across them.
The impact of suicide reaches far and wide. Call Samaritans for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org for more information.