23-year-old woman ‘ate herself to death’ due to rare disorder

A UK woman who died from a rare eating disorder that left her with a constantly high appetite was not properly treated, her mother told an inquest.

Kirsty Derry was 23 when she died on July 20, 2013, and was diagnosed at  age 2 with Prader-Willi Syndrome, The Sentinel reported.

According to her mother, Julie Fallows, Derry was sent to a facility in October 2012 that had alarms on the cupboards and fridge, but at some point the technology was removed without her knowledge.

"I became aware Kirsty had no idea of portion sizes but I thought her cooking was regulated. But in 2013 her changes in weight were obvious. Her legs were swollen, she could hardly walk or get shoes on her feet. I expressed my concerns,” Fallows told The Sentinel.

During the inquest, Fallows claimed that her daughter was handed a “death sentence” when social workers suggested she go to the facility, Victoria Mews. According to The Sentinel, the coroner concluded her death was from the consequences of a natural condition that was not effectively addressed.

Derry died from pulmonary edema, meaning fluid in her lungs prevented her from breathing. Her Body Mass Index (BMI) was 42.1. A normal BMI is 19 to 25.

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