Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Taradale death: Coroner notes MOH warnings around expired medication

Christian Fuller
Christian Fuller
Reporter·Hawkes Bay Today·
3 Jun, 2021 02:27 AM2 mins to read
‌

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Judith Anne Larsen was found dead at her Taradale home in February, 2020, having overdosed. Photo / NZME

Judith Anne Larsen was found dead at her Taradale home in February, 2020, having overdosed. Photo / NZME

A woman who died after mixing medications may have consumed an out-of-date pain relief drug.

Judith Anne Larsen was found dead at her Taradale home by her sister Margaret on February 21, 2020.

The 59-year-old mother-of-one was found to have codeine, tramadol, paracetamol and metformin in her body at the time of her death.

A post-mortem examination conducted by a pathologist found the cause of her death was multiple drug toxicity being the unintended consequence of self-medicating.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In a Certificate of Findings, Coroner JP Ryan concluded that Larsen's death was unintended.

"I do not consider that there are any comments or recommendations that could be made in this case for the purpose of reducing the chances of further deaths.''

In Coroner Ryan's full finding, it was noted that Larsen had been prescribed tramadol in 2016 and 2017.

Coroner Ryan noted the advice of the Ministry of Health which warns
of the dangers of using expired medication, and mixing medications.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The MOH guidelines suggested regularly cleaning out your medicine cabinet and disposing of medicine that is past its date of expiry.

"These medicines can be returned to your local pharmacy for disposal," the MOH says.

"Make sure everyone involved in your health care knows about every medicine you take, including non-prescription and complementary medicines such as vitamins and herbal supplements."

The MOH also notes 'mixing medicines can cause side effects'.

Larsen, a single grandmother, who had lived alone for 20 years, suffered from type two diabetes, mellitus, gout and hypercholesterolemia, and was prescribed several medications.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Her GP Dr Pieta-Jo Randall last saw Larsen for a routine appointment on November 28, 2019, in which the GP stated there were no issues but did note that Larsen had several health issues which made her susceptible to a sudden medical event.

A significant narrowing of the three coronary arteries made Larsen more susceptible to the effects of drug toxicity.

A police investigation found there was no criminal liability or suspicious circumstances around her death.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

'Could be very impactful': Cyclone Vaianu tracks towards Hawke’s Bay

09 Apr 04:26 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Cyclone-wary Hawke’s Bay prepares for another potential hit

09 Apr 02:14 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Australian NBL evergreen joins Hawke's Bay Hawks

08 Apr 10:52 PM

Sponsored

Sponsored: The deposit myth putting Kiwis off building

24 Mar 04:35 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

'Could be very impactful': Cyclone Vaianu tracks towards Hawke’s Bay
Hawkes Bay Today

'Could be very impactful': Cyclone Vaianu tracks towards Hawke’s Bay

MetService has issued heavy rain and strong wind watches for Sunday.

09 Apr 04:26 AM
Cyclone-wary Hawke’s Bay prepares for another potential hit
Hawkes Bay Today

Cyclone-wary Hawke’s Bay prepares for another potential hit

09 Apr 02:14 AM
Australian NBL evergreen joins Hawke's Bay Hawks
Hawkes Bay Today

Australian NBL evergreen joins Hawke's Bay Hawks

08 Apr 10:52 PM


Sponsored: The deposit myth putting Kiwis off building
Sponsored

Sponsored: The deposit myth putting Kiwis off building

24 Mar 04:35 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • NZME Digital Performance Marketing
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP