23-year-old woman ‘ate herself to death’ due to rare disorder
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A UK woman who died from a rare eating disorder that left her with a constantly high appetite was not properly treated, her mother told an inquest.
Kirsty Derry was 23 when she died on July 20, 2013, and was diagnosed at age 2 with Prader-Willi Syndrome, The Sentinel reported.
According to her mother, Julie Fallows, Derry was sent to a facility in October 2012 that had alarms on the cupboards and fridge, but at some point the technology was removed without her knowledge.
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"I became aware Kirsty had no idea of portion sizes but I thought her cooking was regulated. But in 2013 her changes in weight were obvious. Her legs were swollen, she could hardly walk or get shoes on her feet. I expressed my concerns,” Fallows told The Sentinel.
During the inquest, Fallows claimed that her daughter was handed a “death sentence” when social workers suggested she go to the facility, Victoria Mews. According to The Sentinel, the coroner concluded her death was from the consequences of a natural condition that was not effectively addressed.
Derry died from pulmonary edema, meaning fluid in her lungs prevented her from breathing. Her Body Mass Index (BMI) was 42.1. A normal BMI is 19 to 25.
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