A mother from north Norfolk whose “main focus in life was to get back her daughter” after she was placed into foster care, died a drug-related death a court has heard. 

Helen Rippingale, 44, was found at her home in Holt following a welfare check by police. 

Officers arrived at Pheasant Close on August 26 last year and found she had died. 

An inquest into her death was held at Norfolk Coroner’s Court this week. 

In a statement from her mother, Gillian Rippingale, she wrote: “Helen had a very happy childhood. 

“She was very much loved by her family. 

“But she left home at 18 and got in with the wrong crowd and ended up on drugs 

“Helen loved her daughter very much but couldn’t manage to care for her properly.  

“When she realised she wasn’t going to have her daughter back, she went into a deep depression.” 

Helen was diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder. When her daughter was aged 18-months-old, she was taken into care. 

Sister Holly Appleton said that after this, she had "struggled a lot”. 

"She was confused as to why she couldn’t have her daughter back in her care,” she added, “She loved her daughter so much and everything she did was for her daughter.  

“All she needed was her daughter to feel whole again. 

“She was so loving, beautiful, and will forever be our ‘gypsy queen’ as we called her. 

“We had so much to look forward to, and so much planned, now our hearts are broken. We will forever keep our memories in our hearts for as long as we live.” 

Helen's GP at Holt Medical Practice said: “Her main focus in life was to get back her daughter who she loved very much.” 

Summing up the evidence, assistant coroner Christopher Leach said the evidence showed that she was “focused on being there for her daughter”. 

A postmortem and toxicology report revealed that Helen had consumed “a significant quantity of a mixture of drugs” and Mr Leach concluded she died a drug-related death.