An inquest into Peaches Geldof’s death today has confirmed that the mother-of-two died of a heroin overdose while caring for her 11-month-old child.
Her husband Thomas Cohen told the inquest that Peaches kept her heroin at home, and frequently failed weekly drug tests although she told Cohen that she hadn’t, the Mirror reports.
Cohen said that although he knew Geldof was lying about her drug consumption, he still had no concerns for her wellbeing when she left her alone with their sons, as he did often.
The inquest revealed that Geldof’s body was found surrounded by spoons, a cap from syringe, and resin from heroin. A capped syringe was found in a drawer, covered up by lollies.
Her son Phaedra was also in the house at the time, although he was found in a separate room.
British commentator Katie Hopkins has spoken out against Peaches as a mother, because she overdosed while her son was in her care.
She tweeted:
Peaches’ fatal syringe was in a box by the bed – along with some sweets. She was taking care of her baby son after all.
— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) July 23, 2014
Let’s turn the tables. It was me that took an overdose whilst caring for my 11 month old. Would I be a fallen angel too? — Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) July 23, 2014
Do we have a greater license to judge because Peaches so frequently held herself – and her methods of attachment parenting – as an example for other mothers to follow?
It’s a fine line between calling out irresponsibility and recognising helplessness. Obviously, it is lucky that nothing happened to Phaedra while he waited to be found after his mother’s death, but can we really call a woman addicted to a hard drug – and acting in pursuance of that addiction – a bad mother?
It’s a tough one.
Top Comments
Addicts are usually victims in my eyes but those addicts who sell drugs to maintain their habit have probably crossed the line..........we're not seeing evidence that Peaches was doing that.
Bob Geldof is clearly devastated by the death of his child - I imagine he's haunted by it every single day.........there probably wasn't an awful lot he could have done to stop her if she was an addict - unless he had the power to place her in care in a hospital.
I doubt she was a "bad mother" and it's not for any of us to judge anyway.
Her close family would have seen signs of it every day if she was unable to function as a parent.
Yes I think it is time to judge, I think it's time to start making addicts own their choices and to be held responsible for their actions. I think anything else is just enabling. Her husband was aware of her failed drug tests and that she kept heroin in their home, but he did nothing and continued to leave her with the children, why? was he using too?. I'm unsure why you feel she wasn't a "bad mother", she had the personal experiences in her life to know exactly how her behaviour could effect her children. She promoted attachment parenting and yet she took a drug that passes through breast milk to her child, then she chose to take that drug while she was the only person looking after her 11 month old son, he was unattended and alone for around 17hrs.
Peaches was an addict. Possibly with a low level maintenance addiction. Still an addict . The fact that she had been to rehab in the past and supposedly clean for a couple of years tells me that she would have learnt the strategies and know how to get clean and stay clean. Instead of tapping into what she has learnt she chose to do what most addicts do and that's to just have a dabble. They truly believe they won't get hooked again . In their sick mind they justify it. She would have tended to the baby making sure he was sound asleep safe then decided to have a shot, pass out for a few hours , wake up in time to get to baby .Repeat again. I have an issue with her husband have this knowledge and yet leaves the baby with her. Clearly the kids were at risk with her as sole carer. I think she thought she had her habit under control enough to bluff along nicely while still getting stuff done and being a mother.
I judge Peaches on being foolish enough to think she could carry on like this without developing a full blown addiction again. I judge her for not recognising that she was in a relapse cycle that needed immediate intervention. I don't doubt her love for her children and I think she would have succumbed to her addiction years earlier if not for the children . Addiction is an insidious disease and I hope her little boys don't eventually follow her and their grandmother's pattern.