Family's long wait for answers over doctor's death answered

Warning: This story includes some details that may be upsetting

The death of a former doctor in 2018 has been ruled as self-inflicted by a Coroner, finally bringing answers to her family.

Dr Anna Illingsworth, who lived in Nelson, was 49 when she died suddenly in mid-2018.

Last year her mum, Lynda Illingsworth said she feared she would never have answers on what happened to her daughter.

She told Stuff she was struggling to understand why her wait for answers was taking so long.

Coroner Sue Johnson released her findings on Tuesday into Illingsworth’s death, ruling that while it was self-inflicted there hadn’t been suicidal intent.

Illingsworth was found dead in her bedroom on July 5, 2018 by a friend after she failed to turn up to a dinner the pair had organised a day earlier.

Illingsworth had a long history of anxiety and depression and grew up in Apartheid era South Africa, which Coroner Johnson said made her “vigilant to potential violence”.

At 16, her school was bombed, which left her with traumatic memories, Coroner Johnson said.

She moved to New Zealand after finishing her degree and worked at North Shore Hospital in Auckland for a time.

She had two sons and her ex-husband, Dr John Foy, who died in 2019, gave evidence to Coroner Johnson about her long-standing anxiety and issues with alcohol.

Foy said his ex-wife had been admitted to hospital multiple times for attempts to end her life. He was given full custody of their sons and moved to Nelson – Illingsworth soon moved too so she could be close to them.

Illingsworth’s jobs as a doctor was impacted due to her alcohol dependance and major depressive disorder which resulted with her agreeing to leave work in May 2017.

She was asked to remain off work by the Health Committee to focus on her recovery.

Three months before her death, Illingsworth tried to end her life and spent time in an intensive care unit.

A day before her death, she saw a psychiatrist who noted she reported she was “well” and denied suicidal thoughts.

Following her death police opened an investigation and found there was nothing suspicious and no-one else was involved.

Coroner Johnson said she wasn’t satisfied that Illingsworth had killed herself intentionally as no note was found and no-one had been told she was planning on ending her life.

“I find her death was not deliberate,” Coroner Johnson said.

Lynda Illingsworth earlier said she remembered her daughter as an intelligent, self-deprecating woman who loved her family.

“She was a high achiever, but she never took herself too seriously.”

She said not having answers for so many years had taken a toll on her.

“After the first few months after a death, you get through it. And then as the pain begins to ease a little bit you start wanting to know more answers – without answers you can’t move on.”

• 1737, Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 to talk to a trained counsellor.

• Anxiety New Zealand 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389)

• Depression.org.nz 0800 111 757 or text 4202

• Lifeline 0800 543 354

• Rural Support Trust 0800 787 254

• Samaritans 0800 726 666

• Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

• Yellow Brick Road 0800 732 825

• thelowdown.co.nz Web chat, email chat or free text 5626

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This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air