Mentally disabled man strangled by electrical bed wires

It has been recommended that disability carers, NZ Care conduct a safety review of its patients' beds. File photo / Thinkstock

A mentally-handicapped man, with the mental age of a 9-year-old, was accidentally strangled to death after becoming entangled in electrical bed wires, a coroner has found.

The devastating death of Eric Patrick Haydon, 69, prompted Coroner David Crerar to recommend that disability carers, NZ Care conduct a safety review of its patients' beds.

Mr Haydon was found dead in his bedroom at his care home in Waimairi Beach in Christchurch on July 31 last year.

In his inquest findings out today, Coroner Crerar said that Mr Haydon had gone to bed the night before with a higher than normal temperature and complaining of a sore throat.

At about 6am on July 31 last year, carer Marie Cort went to check on Mr Haydon, who also suffered mild dementia, and found him lying face down on the floor beneath his hospital bed.

She phoned emergency services and for more help.

When she returned to the room and pulled the bed away from the wall, she saw that he had an electrical cord wrapped tight around his neck.

St John paramedics were unable to revive him.

Police initially considered the death as suspicious but a post-mortem by pathologist Dr Martin Sage found that Mr Haydon died of "accidental neck compression by ligature".

Dr Sage observed that Mr Haydon was probably delirious from having the flu.

"A likely scenario is that, due to his delirium, Eric Haydon fell, then became trapped and tangled and then panicked," Coroner Crerar said in his findings.

"Instead of calling for help, he has struggled and twisted and tightened the cords around him, specifically that cord which has caused his choking/strangulation by ligature."

The coroner found no evidence to suggest that Mr Haydon had taken his own life. Nor did he find evidence that the care home or any caregiver had failed in their responsibilities to Mr Haydon.

"His death was the outcome of a series of tragic coincidences."

Coroner Crerar recommended that NZ Care carry out a safety review of its beds, with special attention to ensuring that loose electrical wiring is secured "in a manner so as not to allow a repeat of the circumstances which have led to the death of Eric Haydon".