The mum of five was attacked by her own dog (Picture: East Anglia News)
A ‘bubbly’ mother of five is dead after one of her dogs turned on her in her own home – just weeks after she buried her own daughter.
Michelle Hempstead, 34, was attacked by one of her pets on July 29 but managed to escape and climb over the balcony rail of her flat in Southend-on-Sea.
She later died of her injuries at Royal London Hospital, an inquest was told, before it was suspended for three months pending criminal investigation.
Police said two dogs were taken from Michelle’s home, but it’s not believed either of them were a banned breed.
Michelle’s first-born daughter died on June 4, with one source saying Michelle’s passing has made it an ‘awfully tragic time’ for the family.
Lincoln Brookes, senior coroner for Essex, told the inquest he offered his ‘deepest condolences’.
A post-mortem found that a laceration to her upper left arm cut Michelle’s left axillary artery, which contributed to her death.
Michelle suffered severe lacerations to her upper left arm (Picture: East Anglia News)
She also suffered from multi-organ failure and hypovolemic shock.
One of Michelle’s friends told the Southend Echo: ‘She always went above and beyond for people, whether it was stray cats or rough sleepers, Michelle would always get them water, always do something and always recognise people.’
A fundraiser has been set up for her funeral costs.
One friend wrote on the page: ‘Michelle wasn’t just a mother to five beautiful children, she was a daughter, a friend, a neighbour, a big support system for the people around her but undoubtedly the kindest soul to have crossed everyone’s paths.’
Her close friend Liah told the Gazette Standard: ‘[Her death] was too much, there was panic and we had no idea what was going to happen.
‘It is so hard, I can imagine how hard it was for her, I can’t imagine her headspace and I cannot stop thinking about how she must have felt at the time.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.