A heartbroken family left without answers almost four years since the death of a young mum are campaigning for a law change to stop others going through the same ordeal. A coroner ruled that Kimberley McAssey, from Prestwich, died early on February 20, 2021.
But an inquest into the 29-year-old's death found there had been a 30-hour gap before emergency services were contacted about it. Kimberley's cause of death could not be determined as a result of the delay, leaving her devastated loved ones without closure.
Now, the family have launched a campaign for 'Kimberley's Law', to make similar delays to notify the emergency services of a death or medical incident a crime. Rea Swindells, Kimberley's cousin, said: "We are hoping that it could stop something like this happening again, so another family doesn't have to go through it."
An inquest heard last November concluded that Kimberley's cause of death was 'unascertained' due to difficulties with the post-mortem. Kimberley had gone to see Ryan Sheridan at his flat on Sherbourne Court, in Prestwich.
The court heard accounts from Mr Sheridan about how the pair had a drink, before taking a quantity of MDMA (ecstasy), and moving to the bedroom for sexual intercourse. Coroner Joanne Kearsley concluded that Kimberley was 'virtually unresponsive' by the end of that activity.
Mr Sheridan never called 999 for medical help or to notify emergency services of Kimberley's death. There was a 30-hour gap before his mum, Emma Heydon, eventually called 999 on February 21, 2021.
Mr Sheridan was on bail for assault at the time of the incident. Asked about the delay by police, Mr Sheridan said: “I thought what about if they thought I had done something with [Ms McAssey], and with the drugs being taken.”
He later added: “I just panicked… I did not want to get arrested and be under the influence of drugs.” The coroner concluded that the delay had been a 'conscious and calculated decision on Mr Sheridan’s part'.
Rea said: "If they had been contacted straight away then the inquest would have been able to determine the cause of Kim's death. The only reason they couldn't was because it was prolonged for so long.
"Surely you should face some consequence for that? It was 30 hours from when she died that he waited [to tell the emergency services']."
The delay left Kimberley's body in a state of decomposition that meant her post-mortem could not provide vital answers. Karrie McAssey, Kimberley's mum, recalls harrowing words from the undertaker who dealt with Kimberley.
"He said to me 'in all his 30 years as an undertaker, he'd never seen anybody so decomposed'," she said. Much-loved Kimberley was a mum to Maddison and an aunt to Max.
Katie McAssey, Kimberley's sister, added: "She always lit up my life with her precious laugh and her beautiful smile. Nothing will ever be the same without her, life just feels empty without her contagious smile."
Mr Sheridan, who was later convicted of Class A drug supply offences, failed to attend the inquest. Coroner Joanne Kearsley said in her concluding remarks: "His self-serving cowardice, which persists to this day, demonstrates a blatant disregard for Kimberley."
The petition to make delaying calls to the emergency services on purpose a criminal offence has received more than 1,100 signatures since it was launched last Friday (January 10). To see the petition, click here.
