The body of a 'academically brilliant' mother was found topless and submerged in a pool of icy water after she fell while drunk, an inquest has heard.
Hedwig Taaru, 26, died of hypothermia after she fell from a fence following a drinking session at her home in Purley-on-Thames in Reading, Berkshire, in March last year.
Ms Taaru's body was found by a dogwalker in a water-clogged field by the River Thames the next morning and she was declared dead at 9am on March 7, 2020.
Just 12 hours before the grim discovery Ms Taaru had been socialising with her sister-in-law Neema Kamonjo and showing her how she wanted to renovate her home.
The inquest heard Ms Taaru had revealed she previously attempted suicide as the pair spoke about the tragic death of TV presenter Caroline Flack.
But assistant Berkshire coroner Ian Wade QC categorically ruled out Ms Taaru's death as suicide, confirming instead that it was a tragic accident.
Ms Kamonjo said: 'One of the things I remember talking about was Caroline Flack, who had died on February 15. We both agreed that you wouldn't think that someone who had it all might be deeply struggling.
Hedwig Taaru (pictured), 26, died of hypothermia after she fell from a fence following a drinking session at her home in Purley-on-Thames in Reading, Berkshire, in March last year
'She admitted that she had attempted to commit suicide and I acted like I did not know and I told her I was always there if she wanted to talk.'
Mr Wade described Ms Taaru as being 'very drunk' on the night she died, with reports finding she was three-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit.
He said: 'On the evening of March 6, 2020, she indulged in a drinking binge - she was very drunk. It appears that she wandered towards the river, she had spoken about throwing herself into the river.
'She walked away from the river but sadly she was not able to get back across the muddy flood-drenched field back to her home. I am satisfied that was all she was trying to do, she was intending to go back home.'
He said Ms Taaru made it back as far as a barbed wire fence and tried to climb it but was unsuccessful.
'Unfortunately she fell backwards into the mud. In her state she was not able to take the steps to save herself,' he added.
'In the confusion lying in the shallow pool of water was enough to cause her to remain immobile but in effect lying in that cold, muddy water overnight was the cause of her death.
Mr Wade described Ms Taaru (pictured) as being 'very drunk' on the night she died, with reports finding she was three-and-a-half times over the
