Patient at Cerne Abbas care home died of natural causes (From Dorset Echo)

Patient at Cerne Abbas care home died of natural causes

5:00pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News

A PATIENT of a care home who was detained for his own safety was found by jury inquest to have died of natural causes.

A jury took just five minutes to come to its verdict at West Dorset Corner’s Court.

The jury heard that John David Baker, 63, originally from Brentwood in Essex, died on September 10, 2011 at Cerne Abbas Care Home from pneumonia due to Huntington’s disease.

Doctor Mark Deverell told the jury that the inherited genetic disease was degenerative and affected Mr Baker’s physical as well as mental state.

The jury heard that the most common cause of death for Huntington’s disease sufferers was pneumonia and that it was considered a natural cause of death.

A letter from Mr Baker’s sister Susan Cripps, who praised staff for their care, was read out. Mrs Cripps added that the staff were kind, considerate and caring and always made the home feel more like a family.