Former biology teacher killed herself with fatal overdose

An inquest has head how Victoria Meppen-Walter, 44, from Heywood, killed herself by taking an overdose of tablets after becoming obsessed with the idea that routine surgery to remove a cancerous mole on her forehead had ruined her looks.

Mrs Meppen-Walter, a former biology teacher, spiralled into depression after being left with what she often described as “dreadful facial deformities” and burning pain after undergoing surgery at a cosmetic clinic.

The inquest into her death heard how she described the surgeon as “evil” in a typed note to her husband. The note also stated that she died as a result of his “malice.”

The inquest also heard that Mrs Meppen-Walter developed a rare disorder in which psychological problems cause real pain.

It is understood that she had been diagnosed with persistent Somatoform Pain Disorder with Adjustment Disorder and depressive symptoms by a psychiatrist but Mrs Meppen-Walters refused to believe she had a mental illness.

Mrs Meppen-Walters body was found in a storeroom at her home four days after she had died. Her body was found with an A4 handwritten note which read “do not resuscitate.” A glass bowl containing a number of pills was also found beside her.

Victoria’s husband of 16 years, Ashley, went on to find three hand written suicide notes blaming the surgery for making her life hell.

The inquest heard that Mrs Meppen-Walter had been happy and full of energy up until her surgery in 2011 but after the operation she complained of a burning sensation in her face, chest and arms.

The inquest went on to hear that over the next two years, Mrs Meppen-Walter became angry, reclusive and so depressed that she contacted the Dignitas assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland.

On 28 August 2013, Mr Meppen-Walter found a number of letters addressed to various people including himself, his wife’s mother and brother on his wife’s bed which led him to call the police.

A family friend then went on to search Mrs Meppen-Walter's laptop and found emails that suggested she may have gone to the clinic in Dignitas. Seeing this, family and friends made frantic calls to the clinic and the Swiss authorities. But, Mrs Meppen-Walter's body was discovered four days later by her step-daughter Ainsley when she went to fetch some sheets from the cupboard.

A post mortem examination found that Mrs Meppen-Walter had a toxic and fatal level of chemicals in her blood.

The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide and stated that the surgery performed on Mrs Meppen-Walter had a satisfactory outcome. The clinic also stated that they provided a high standard of care to Mrs Meppen-Walter.