A tragic discovery was made when Mark Martin Sinton, 42, and his long-term partner, Claire White, 32, were found dead together in their bedroom. Mark’s mother found the couple after noticing their coats remained untouched, prompting her to check on them.
The pair, who had been together for 17 years and shared four children, were discovered lying on the floor in a state of undress. An inquest revealed the presence of a positive pregnancy test alongside drug paraphernalia, including a crack pipe.
Both Mark and Claire had a long history of intravenous drug use, involving heroin, cocaine, and methadone. They lived at Mark’s mother’s home on Priory Road, Barnsley, having moved in after her husband’s passing several years earlier.
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Assistant Coroner Nathalie James detailed that the couple returned home from the town center around 5 p.m. on February 20 but did not interact with Mark’s mother before going upstairs to sleep. They were found the following day at around 3:15 p.m. when concern grew over their lack of movement.
Emergency services arrived promptly, declaring both deceased at 4:16 p.m. Forensic post-mortems confirmed their deaths resulted from a combined toxic effect of heroin, cocaine, and methadone. However, it was impossible to determine who died first.
Ms. James concluded that the deaths were drug-related, supported by extensive toxicology reports and the couple’s long-standing drug dependency. The presence of a positive pregnancy test adds a complex and heartbreaking layer to this case, underscoring the devastating impact of substance abuse on families.