AN ELDERLY woman with dementia found dead in a stream at Over Alderley had wandered into woodland and suffered a heart attack, an inquest heard.

Widow Edwina "Marie" Yates, 79, went missing from Prestbury Beaumont Care Home on the morning of Friday, November 16, last year.

Her disappearance triggered a massive police search, involving three dog teams, a police plane and helicopter. It also involved soccer icon Wayne Rooney whose home security CCTV aided the hunt. Marie was eventually discovered 24 hours later by beaters on a shooting party, half a kilometre away in Over Alderley.

Retired office clerk Marie was happy at the residence but it was the second time she had disappeared in a fortnight, the inquest at Macclesfield Town Hall heard. On Thursday, November 8, she was found walking down Chelford Road claiming she was going to the Wirral – her home 50 years previously. And eight days later, she went missing again.

Despite the huge official search mission, it was Vanessa Jackson, a part time invigilator, beating on a shooting trip who found Marie’s body in Spencer Brook, Over Alderley at around 9.30am on Saturday, November 17.

Ms Jackson, of Bonis Hall Lane, told the inquest: "I was uphill from the stream and saw Marie. It was shallow, and she was in the stream completely. She was face up.
"I can see her now, as plain as plain can be."
She added there were marks on the bank of the stream, like someone had walked or slipped down.

Helen Travis, matron at the Collar House Drive home, said Marie had "quite slight, early dementia" and had "flourished" in the home. After she first disappeared, carers fitted a pressure mat that triggered an alarm if she left her room at night, and she was checked hourly each day, Miss Travis said. But, she added, Marie would switch off the mat to avoid waking friends in the early hours.

Since Mrs Yates’ death Prestbury Beaumont has installed alarms on the fire doors that sound when someone leaves the building, the coroner was told.

Just before 10am on Friday, November 16, Marie was seen by nurses having a cup of tea with other residents, but could not be found at her next check, Miss Travis said. She said Marie left that morning by the back conservatory door.

Dr Anne Nicol, who conducted the post mortem, said Marie had heart disease, and had died of a heart attack, but could not say if it happened before, during, or after she went into the stream. Dr Nicol added: "In my opinion, she would not have died when she died if she had not been outside, in unfamiliar surroundings."

She admitted to the care home’s solicitor there was no medical evidence to support her theory, however.

David Yates, Marie’s son, who lives in Wigan, told the coroner he did not blame the care home, and added he was considering moving her to a more secure environment after she first went missing.

Dr Janet Napier, deputy coroner for Cheshire, said: "It certainly seems she slipped down the embankment into the stream. I do find it very likely that there was an association between her heart problem and the fact she was wandering in unfamiliar surroundings."

Dr Napier recorded a verdict of death from a combination of natural (heart)disease and misadventure.

"It was difficult to balance the individual’s needs with her personal safety. The care home did do that. I am pleased that there are fire alarms on the doors where there weren’t before (her death)", Dr Napier said. She also commended the "great efforts" of Macclesfield police in their search.