The inquest into the death of the conjoined twin known as Mary ended yesterday with a verdict reflecting the extraordinary circumstances of the case, writes Rachel Donnelly. After deciding that none of the usual causes of death applied, it ruled that she died following surgery to separate her from her sister, known as Jodie, which was permitted by an order of the courts.
The adoption of a rarely used narrative verdict came after the Manchester Coroner, Mr Leonard Gorodkin, sitting at Manchester Magistrates' Court, heard evidence from surgeons who treated the twins at the city's St Mary's Hospital that both girls would have died if surgery to separate them had not gone ahead. Delivering his verdict, Mr Gorodkin said the usual verdicts of accident, misadventure, unlawful or lawful killing or an open verdict did not apply.