An inquest has heard the tragic details surrounding the deaths of a single mother and her severely disabled young daughter at their home in Salford.
A devoted mother and her daughter
Martina Karos, 42, and her eight-year-old daughter, Eleni Edwards, were found deceased at their property on South Radford Street on September 23, 2024. Police were alerted after Eleni failed to attend her special school. A pathologist later gave the cause of death for both as carbon monoxide toxicity, and authorities confirmed they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Martina, originally from Lublin in Poland, moved to England in 2003. She studied languages at university and worked as a translator and interpreter. The inquest heard she was a 'devoted' mother to Eleni, who was born in June 2016. Despite being told she could not have children, Martina was 'surprised and excited' by the pregnancy.
Struggles with isolation and mental health
The court was told that around six months after Eleni's birth, it became apparent the child was very severely disabled. Eleni was unable to see or communicate verbally and had restricted mobility, though she was described as happy and 'thriving'.
Caring for her daughter full-time took a significant toll on Martina's mental health, particularly following the breakdown of a relationship. She felt socially isolated, lonely, and 'stuck'. She told a friend she felt life was not worth living and had at times become emotionally distant from Eleni.
Due to concerns over emotional harm arising from her mother's low moods, Eleni was placed on a child protection plan by Salford City Council's children's services in January 2024.
Extensive support that could not bridge the gap
The inquest heard that both Martina and Eleni were offered a wide range of support services, including:
- Daily visits from carers and social workers.
- Short and medium-term respite care.
- Counselling, talking therapy, and psychotherapy.
- Social workers accompanying Martina to activities to help her form friendships.
Harriet Jones, a service manager for Salford City Council, explained that respite care was increased so Martina could attend evening and weekend activities. Social workers set up an app of local groups and suggested activities like gardening, sports, and 'women who walk'.
"We tried lots and lots of things. We exhausted any available resource in Salford," Ms Jones stated. However, Martina struggled to engage, telling support workers she did not know what to do with herself when not caring for Eleni. Ms Jones suggested the core issue was not a lack of time, but a lack of social connections to fill that time.
When asked if more could be done when a patient does not want to engage, mental health witness Tammy Young replied, "No. She had very broad interventions."
The inquest was adjourned until Thursday, January 15.
