AN INQUEST has been opened and adjourned into the death of a 30-year-old woman.

Dionne Whittington, died on April 20, a Gwent Coroner’s Court heard yesterday. David Arnold, coroner’s officer, said: “Police officers entered a property in the Gaer, Newport after concerns of a female patient who had absconded from the casualty ward at the Royal Gwent Hospital. On arrival a female was found lifeless and unresponsive at the bedroom of the property. She was pronounced dead by paramedics.”

Following a formal identification a post-mortem examination was carried out.

The provisional cause of death was said to be metabolic disturbance in mass fatty changes of the liver.

Further tests will be carried out including a toxicology. The inquest has been adjourned for eight weeks and the body has been released to the family.