A mother described as a beautiful and cherished soul died by suicide after being arrested following a car accident, a coroner's court has heard.
'Traumatised' by accident and arrest
Paulina Szafert, 41, was found unresponsive in her bed at her home in Christchurch, Dorset, after the incident which left her deeply distressed. An inquest at Bournemouth Coroners’ Court was told she had been left "very stressed and physically shaking" after the collision and her subsequent arrest, which occurred about a week before her death.
Her friend, Alicja Fabisiak, stated that Paulina had a history of mental health problems and the accident had significantly "impacted" her state of mind. The day before she died, Paulina had slept for 14 hours after taking some pills, but later sent a message saying "Have a good night and see you tomorrow."
A final note and a beloved dog
When Alicja could not reach her the next day, she went to the flat. Hearing Paulina's French bulldog, Fifi, barking inside, she enlisted a neighbour's help to gain entry. Paulina was discovered on the bed alongside empty drug packets and a poignant note.
She left a message for her family which read: "I love you more than life itself. I haven’t coped with this I know." A separate note asked friends to care for her beloved dog, Fifi. A post-mortem examination revealed "extremely high" levels of painkillers and sleeping tablets in her blood.
A mother who sought a 'better life'
Paulina had moved to the UK from Poland in 2004 to provide a "better life" for her son, Kacper. In a heartfelt statement, Kacper described his mother as an "amazing" woman who "always put everyone else before herself." He said he had seen her just days before her death and she seemed fine, adding he believed she would not take her own life because she would not leave Fifi.
At the time of her death, Paulina worked as a head door person for Vanguard Security Services at nightspots in Bournemouth and London and was training to be a beautician. Her colleagues paid tribute, calling her a "cherished member" of their team who was "full of life."
The coroner concluded that Paulina's death was a suicide. A GoFundMe appeal was set up to repatriate her body to Poland for her funeral, where friends remembered her as a "beautiful soul - kind, strong, and full of compassion."
Anyone affected by this story can contact Samaritans free, 24/7, on 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org.
