A 26-year-old woman with a long history of mental health struggles and substance abuse was found dead in a friend’s room at a sheltered accommodation complex in Dagenham, an inquest has heard.
Mahlet Goshu Debas, formerly of Rainham, died in the early hours of June 13, 2024, at a supported housing unit in Surrey Road. A post-mortem revealed she had consumed a fatal cocktail of drugs, leading to acute cardiorespiratory failure.
The inquest, held at East London Coroner’s Court on Tuesday (April 8), was told that Miss Debas had gone out the night before her death to purchase controlled prescription drugs from a street dealer. Her friend, who also bought drugs that night, told the court that the pair took them together before falling asleep.
Tragically, when staff tried to wake Miss Debas the following morning to take her prescribed medication, she was already lifeless. Paramedics found rigor mortis had set in, suggesting she had been dead for several hours.
A History of Struggles
Miss Debas had long battled drug addiction and severe mental health problems. Barking and Dagenham Council described her as having a “psychotic disorder, complicated by multiple substance misuse.” She had previously been evicted from two supported accommodation units due to persistent drug use and behavioural issues.
The inquest also heard she had been flagged by the London Ambulance Service as a “nuisance caller” after dialling 999 a total of 26 times in a single year—averaging once a fortnight.
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, she became known to British authorities as a teenager and was repeatedly detained under the Mental Health Act in adulthood. On one occasion, a court heard, she attempted to set fire to her home while burning incense, believing an “evil spirit” was pursuing her.
‘A Likeable and Happy Person’
Her sister described her in a heartfelt statement as “a happy, active, likeable person” who “befriended almost anyone,” but said peer pressure led her into bad habits such as smoking and using cannabis—habits which ultimately worsened her mental health.
Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe recorded a verdict of drug-related death, with the medical cause of death given as acute cardiorespiratory failure due to combined drug toxicity.
“I would like to convey my deepest condolences to her family,” Dr Radcliffe said.
Mental Health and Substance Misuse in Focus
The case has once again highlighted the challenges facing vulnerable individuals with complex needs—particularly those struggling with addiction and mental illness—and the limits of current support systems.
Miss Debas’s story is a stark reminder of the need for better integration between mental health services, housing support, and substance misuse treatment to prevent further such tragedies.
