A TEENAGE girl was found dead in her bed just days after she was discharged from hospital.

Tragedy struck at the home of 14-year-old Josie Cotier when her devastated parents found her unresponsive in bed in the early hours of the morning.

An inquest into the teenager’s death was opened and adjourned at Essex Coroner’s Court, in Chelmsford, on Friday.

The senior coroner heard Josie had been taken to Colchester General Hospital by her worried parents as she was unwell, but she was discharged later that day.

The youngster suffered from a muscle disease and had learning difficulties, the inquest heard.

She arrived at hospital suffering from diarrhoea and a sore throat. Paul Gammon, coroner’s officer, said: “Josie Kathleen Lillian Cotier, whose home address is in Clacton, sadly passed away on October 22 last year.

“Her place of death was Clacton-on-sea.

“On October 20, this young lady was admitted to Colchester General Hospital having had diarrhoea and a sore throat.

“She was discharged on the same day.

“In the early hours of October 22 she was found to have sadly passed away in bed by her parents.”

The inquest heard a postmortem examination was carried out.

The primary cause of Josie’s death was recorded as bronchopneumonia, with myopathy, a disease of the muscle, also recorded as a factor.

The inquest was adjourned until a provisional date of Friday, November 2.

Caroline Beasley-Murray, senior coroner, asked for Josie’s family to be made aware of the date so they can attend the full inquest.

“I request a statement from the consultant under whose care she was,” she said.

“I will also need a copy of the serious incident report from the hospital.

“I want to hear from the family as well.”