Tragic Death Highlights Ottoman Bed Hazards

Going upstairs to find your mom trapped under her bed, unable to breathe. That's exactly what happened to Elizabeth, a young girl from northeastern England. Her mom, Helen Davey, was only 39 when she died in a freak accident. Helen ran a beauty salon and was known for her warm personality. One day, she was leaning over the storage area of her ottoman bed. Ottoman beds are great for hiding extra bedding or clothes. They use gas-lift hydraulics to raise the mattress platform. But this time, one of the pistons was faulty. The bed fell suddenly, trapping Helen's neck and causing her to suffocate.Elizabeth found her mom and did her best to save her. She tried to lift the bed, but it was heavy and no longer had the soft-close feature. She managed to pull her mom out and started CPR. Unfortunately, it was too late. Helen had already passed away due to positional asphyxia. The coroner, Jeremy Chipperfield, was concerned. He wrote to the business secretary, warning that more people could die if nothing is done. The UK law requires coroners to alert relevant organizations when they think action is needed to prevent future deaths. In 2022 alone, 147 people died from falling out of bed, and 18 more died by accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). This shows that bed safety is a real issue.