Tragic Alert: Teen Discovers Her Mother's Lifeless Body After Freak Ottoman Bed Accident - Could Your Furniture Be Deadly?

In a heart-wrenching incident that has left a community in shock, a teenage girl faced the unimaginable when she found her mother deceased after a freak accident involving a piece of household furniture. Helen Davey, a 39-year-old mother of two and a businesswoman, tragically suffocated when she became trapped between the mattress and the bed base of her Ottoman bed.


The incident, which occurred at their home in Seaham, County Durham, has raised serious concerns about the safety of gas piston bed mechanisms. The inquest into Ms. Davey's death revealed that a defective gas piston, designed to raise the mattress, was the cause of the accident. This malfunction led to the mattress platform descending unexpectedly, trapping Ms. Davey's neck against the bed's side panel. Despite her efforts, she was unable to free herself and died of positional asphyxia.


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Helen Davey, a 39-year-old mum of two, tragically suffocated after getting trapped between the mattress and bed base of a faulty Ottoman bed. Credit: Facebook / Stand Up For The World


The devastating discovery was made by her 19-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, known as Betty, who, along with her 11-year-old brother George, is now grappling with the loss of their mother. Betty's emotional tribute on Facebook expressed the siblings' profound grief and the difficulty they face in coming to terms with the reality of their mother's passing.


The tragedy has prompted Jeremy Chipperfield, the senior coroner for Durham and Darlington, to take action. Concerned about the potential risk of other deaths, he has written to the Office for Product Standards at the Department for Business and Trade. In his report, Mr. Chipperfield emphasized his duty to alert authorities about the dangers posed by gas piston bed mechanisms whose failure could present a risk to life.

This incident is not the first tragedy to strike the Davey family. Helen Davey's brother, Luke, died at the age of 16 in a moped accident in May 2011. The community, still reeling from the past loss, is now mourning yet another untimely death.

Helen Davey was known for running her beauty business, All Dolled Up, from her home. Neighbours described the scene as detectives arrived to investigate the accident, initially unsure if there was anything suspicious about the circumstances. The police inquiries confirmed it was a tragic accident, with the Ottoman bed's malfunction at the heart of the incident.


The loss of Helen Davey serves as a stark reminder of the potential hazards that can lurk within our homes, often in the guise of everyday furniture. It's a wake-up call for consumers to be vigilant about the products they bring into their living spaces. It also underscores the importance of manufacturers adhering to strict safety standards to prevent such accidents from occurring.

As we extend our deepest condolences to Betty, George, and their family, we also urge our readers to take a moment to inspect their own furniture, especially items with mechanical components like gas pistons. If you have any concerns about the safety of your furniture, do not hesitate to contact the manufacturer or seek professional advice.
Key Takeaways
  • Helen Davey, a 39-year-old mother-of-two, tragically suffocated after becoming trapped in between the mattress and the bed base of a faulty Ottoman bed.
  • Her 19-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, known as Betty, discovered her body following the accident at their home in Seaham, County Durham.
  • An inquest revealed that Ms Davey's death was caused by a defective gas piston in the bed which failed to support the mattress platform.
  • The senior coroner for Durham and Darlington, Jeremy Chipperfield, has warned the government of the potential risks posed by gas piston bed mechanisms and highlighted the need for action to prevent future incidents.
The tragedy of Helen Davey's death is a sobering reminder that safety in the home is paramount. It's crucial to ensure that the furniture we trust to support us in our daily lives is not only comfortable and stylish but, above all, safe. Let this unfortunate event be a catalyst for change and increased awareness, so that no other family has to endure such a devastating loss.
 

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This was an absolute tragedy. That poor family! However, I’m confused that this article talks about an “Ottoman bed.” My current bed is a king single gas lift for easy access to storage underneath, but it definitely isn’t an Ottoman. I have had one of these as a guest bed and they fold down to a square shape, with a cover over the top so you can use it as a foot stool when not needed as a bed. A gas lift bed doesn’t fold at all.
 
This was an absolute tragedy. That poor family! However, I’m confused that this article talks about an “Ottoman bed.” My current bed is a king single gas lift for easy access to storage underneath, but it definitely isn’t an Ottoman. I have had one of these as a guest bed and they fold down to a square shape, with a cover over the top so you can use it as a foot stool when not needed as a bed. A gas lift bed doesn’t fold at all.
This is a type of Ottoman bed.
What is a gas lift bed? A gas lift bed uses two gas pistols on either side of the ottoman bed. They make a gas like sound, releasing air as you manoeuvre your ottoman bed up and down. This helps with the lifting, as trying to lift your ottoman bed up without this gas feature could lead to injury.
 

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This was an absolute tragedy. That poor family! However, I’m confused that this article talks about an “Ottoman bed.” My current bed is a king single gas lift for easy access to storage underneath, but it definitely isn’t an Ottoman. I have had one of these as a guest bed and they fold down to a square shape, with a cover over the top so you can use it as a foot stool when not needed as a bed. A gas lift bed doesn’t fold at all.
If you look up ottoman bed it does describe this bed as an ottoman bed.😊
 
'Aussie Mum'?
No, but check this discrepancy out.

The newsletter headline states :-

Are you safe at home? An Aussie mum tragically lost her life from a freak accident with this furniture.
The article states:-

The incident, which occurred at their home in Seaham, County Durham, has raised serious concerns about the safety of gas piston bed mechanisms.

Since when has a UK coastal town been in Australia? And no mention of the "victim" being an Australian living in the UK. Umm....
 
No, but check this discrepancy out.

The newsletter headline states :-

Are you safe at home? An Aussie mum tragically lost her life from a freak accident with this furniture.
The article states:-

The incident, which occurred at their home in Seaham, County Durham, has raised serious concerns about the safety of gas piston bed mechanisms.

Since when has a UK coastal town been in Australia? And no mention of the "victim" being an Australian living in the UK. Umm....
We all make mistakes, but I can't see anywhere where it mentions an "Aussie mum".
Maybe i'm not just seeing it in my old age or they realised their mistake and corrected it.
 
I do not think it matters where the accident occurred. The fact is these beds are sold all over the world and this could happen to anyone with this type of mechanism on their Otterman bed. I was looking at the image of the bed trying to figure out how this could have happened. I thought that the bed sat on the top and was fully supported by the storage unit under the bed. This section must only go part way up the length of the bed. This space allows the bed head to recline down below the storage unit and lifting the bed end (foot of the bed). The women must have slipped down (the mattress head) the mattress as the bed reclined down (Piston failure) and the lady has been caught between the bed and mattress. Very sad.
 
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