Biochemist poisoned herself and two young daughters by drinking acid, inquest hears

 
Tragedy: the scene at the house in Midcroft, Ruislip where a 34-year-old woman and two girls have been found dead
PA
Jennifer Cockerell25 October 2014

A biochemist poisoned herself and her two young daughters by drinking acid after struggling to get on with her live-in mother and father-in-law, an inquest has heard.

Heena Solanki, 34, was found dead in her bed alongside Jasmine, nine, and Prisha, four, by her widower at their home in Ruislip, west London, in April last year.

West London Coroners' Court heard that police and paramedics who went to the scene were forced back by the fumes from the substance, which Mrs Solanki had taken from a locked cupboard at the school where she worked as a lab technician.

None of her family attended the hearing but a statement was read out from her widower, Kalpesh Solanki, in which he spoke of his surprise at his wife's actions.

"Prior to her death I believed that Heena was happy and content," he said.

"We lived a nice life with our two children, Jasmine and Prisha.

"The only thing that I was aware of that made her unhappy was that we lived with my parents.

"This issue got her down at times but it's the only issue I can think of."

He added that they had decided to move out but had not yet told his parents.

Mr Solanki said his Indian-born wife had not shown signs of depression and had never talked of taking her own life.

He added: "There were obviously things she didn't talk to me about which I didn't know. I'm aware of that now."

But he added that there was "no indication to me or anyone else that I'm aware of that Henna was so unhappy that this would be her solution".

The inquest heard from Mrs Solanki's friend, Branali Chambhare, who said she had confided in her that "her father-in-law was a bit cranky and a bit problematic".

She added that she had cried about her problems with him on one occasion but did not think she was depressed.

Mrs Chambhare said her friend had also clashed with her husband and his parents about their daughters' studies as "she pressurised her children".

"I think her in-laws and husband didn't like it at all," she added.

She said Mrs Solanki never spoke of being depressed or harming herself but used to say she wanted to go and live in India with her children.

Detective Sergeant Simon Rogers, of the Metropolitan Police's homicide assessment team said officers were called on the evening of April 12 last year with initial reports that a third party might have been involved.

"Because of the chemicals that were present staff were overcome with fumes," he added.

Only firefighters wearing specialist breathing equipment were allowed on the scene, where three medicine bottles with residual liquid were found on a bedside table along with a suicide note, the contents of which were not detailed in court.

Post-mortem examinations found all three died of substance intoxication in association with ligature compression.

Coroner Chinyere Inyama said paperwork had also been found in the boot of Mrs Solanki's car about chemicals.

He concluded that Mrs Solanki took her own life while Jasmine and Prisha were both unlawfully killed.

A statement from the girls' schools described Jasmine as a "normal, healthy, happy child" while Prisha was said to be "very happy", with no indications of any troubles at home for either.

Asked to comment as she left the inquest, Mrs Chambhare said: "They were a happy family and it's a sad thing."

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