A mother who took her life with a legally-owned shotgun "just snapped", her family have said. Legal assistant Rachel Chapman-Emms, 53, was found at her home by parents, Diana and Michael Emms, after they went to check on her when she failed to turn up for work. The mother-of-three had been prescribed Prozac to beat depression but her GP was unaware she was licensed to own a shotgun for clay pigeon shooting.
After an inquest into her death, Ms Chapman-Emms' sister, Joanna Emms, told the Eastern Daily Press: "There is no way Rachel planned this and the evidence we have seen, alongside what we know as a family, supports that. It must have been a flashpoint moment and she acted. Something just snapped in her that morning and the gun was there."
Inquest Details
During an inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court, coroner Johanna Thompson concluded Ms Chapman-Emms had died by suicide. The hearing revealed her GP did not know she had a shotgun license. He said he would have advised her to remove the firearm from her home and reported his concerns to police had he known. Her family also believe that if Ms Chapman-Emms had been aware that the Prozac she was taking for depression had a known side effect of suicidal behaviour, she would have instantly removed the gun from her house.
The inquest was told Ms Chapman-Emms, who lived in the village of Pulham Market and had 17-year-old twins and an older son, had experienced a dip in mood following the breakdown of a short-term relationship. She had been taking Prozac as directed and had repeatedly denied having any thoughts of self-harm. The hearing was told she appeared to be improving in the days before her death, on July 21 last year, and her family say she was making plans for the future.
She had recently received a promotion at Leathes Prior Solicitors, in Norwich, to become legal secretary in the wills, trusts and probate team. Her family said the passionate dog lover had recently bred one of her golden retrievers and was excited to learn if she was expecting puppies.
Missing Marker on GP Records
The inquest identified a missing "marker" - which would show she had a shotgun licence - on her GP records. Ms Chapman-Emms was a keen clay pigeon shooter - a hobby she shared with her father - and owned the shotgun legally. She had applied for a shotgun certificate in November 2022. As part of the process, her GP surgery, Church Hill in Diss, was consulted and a marker was placed on her records showing the application was pending.
At the time, the surgery confirmed she had a history of depression and was taking fluoxetine - commonly known as Prozac. However, she was reported to be well and no concerns were raised. Norfolk Constabulary approved the application on January 6 2023. However, despite this, her application remained marked as "pending" on her GP records for more than three years and had not been updated by the time of her death.
Family Calls for Tighter Legislation
Following the inquest, Ms Emms backed calls for tighter legislation surrounding firearms licensing and GP records. She said: "Nothing can bring back my wonderful sister. But lessons must be learned. We have to live wondering if the outcome could have been different had a conversation been initiated with Rachel about her gun.
"She was a responsible gun owner and I have no doubt that had she been asked about it, or told to remove it either by the GP or by police, then she would have done so. We both grew up with guns, as do many people in Norfolk. She always followed procedure. Something just snapped in her that morning and the gun was there."
The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.
