Woman killed by malfunctioning ottoman bed

 A 39-year-old British woman died after a defective ottoman bed fell on her neck, causing her to suffocate, according to a coroner's report.

Helen Davy, who lived in northeast England and ran a beauty salon, died in June "after bending over the storage space of a gas-operated ottoman bed," coroner Jeremy Chipperfield said in his report released last week. Ottoman beds have a base that can usually be lifted using a gas lift to access the storage space underneath. They are a popular choice for homeowners who want to store bedding and out-of-season clothing out of sight. The mattress pad on Davy's bed fell unexpectedly and "trapped her neck over the side wall of the bed frame," Chipperfield explained. "She was unable to free herself and died of positional asphyxiation. One of her two gas pressure springs had failed." Davey was discovered by her daughter Elizabeth, according to a statement read out in court and published in local newspaper The Northern Echo. "I went upstairs and saw my mum's bedroom door wide open and she was  lying on her back with her head under the bed," Elizabeth told the court. "Her legs were bent as if she was trying to stand up. I dropped everything  I was holding and tried to lift the  bed over her head. The bed  no longer had the soft-close mode and was less likely to tip over when I let go. Lifting it  and trying to pull her out was too difficult for me. I only managed to get it high enough that I could support it with my legs. "I noticed  her face was blue and there was a noticeable dent on her neck from the frame. I managed to pull her out. "She didn't make a sound so I was afraid she had died. I started CPR and realised she wasn't breathing," she said. In a letter to UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Chipperfield warned of the risk of future deaths "unless action is taken", highlighting "the presence and use of gas piston bed mechanisms, which if they fail, pose a risk to life" as a "reason for concern".  UK law requires coroners to report to  relevant organisations or government agencies if they believe steps should be taken to prevent future deaths.