Islington News: Lisa Lewis | Inquest | Canonbury Lane

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Islington Tribune - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 10 October 2008

Music teacher found dead by daughter after ‘nocturnal fit’

Family ‘could not explain’ why victim failed to pursue specialist treatment

A MUSIC teacher who suffered an epileptic fit in her sleep was found dead in her bed by her 15-year-old daughter, an inquest heard this week.
Lisa Lewis, who taught at the Bridge Academy school in Hackney, died suddenly at her Canonbury Lane home in May.
Ms Lewis, 37, had suffered her first ever fit in October last year and prior to that had been completely healthy, according to a GP report read out to St Pancras Court on Tuesday.
While Ms Lewis had initially sought treatment, coroner Dr Andrew Reid, still reading from her GP’s notes, told the court she was “happy” to go along with the established medical practice of waiting to see whether she would suffer a repeat fit before being prescribed medication. However, following another fit in December she failed to seek further treatment.
Her adopted mother, Sally Sale, said she couldn’t explain why Ms Lewis did not visit either her GP or Professor Nicholas Wood at University College London Hospital following the second attack.
After being treated at the Whittington Hospital at Christmas – where Ms Lewis was advised to take a course of anti-seizure drugs immediately – Ms Lewis insisted on discussing the situation first with Prof Wood and her family.
However, it appears she failed to mention it to anyone and five months later she suffered a third fit in her bed and died.
PC Charlotte Heywood form Islington police attended the flat after police were alerted by paramedics. She said: “The daughter said she’d got up and went into her mum’s bedroom. She hadn’t [initially] realised she was deceased. She had last seen her the previous evening and said she was fine.”
Dr Reid recorded a verdict of natural causes after suffering a “nocturnal fit”. He found she died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome of which the “probable underlying cause was epilepsy”.
An online tribute by Bridge Academy acting head Annie Blackmore remembered Ms Lewis as a “wonderful, inspirational and talented music teacher whose glowing smile could brighten any day”.

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