Peaches Geldof death: Recent heroin use identified

RECENT use of heroin was likely to have played a role in the death of Peaches Geldof, an inquest has heard, in a tragic echo of the death of her mother.

Peaches Geldof, who died last month at the age of 25. Picture: PA

The body of the 25-year-old mother-of-two was found at the home she shared with her young family in Wrotham, Kent, on April 7.

At the opening of her inquest in Gravesend, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Fotheringham, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said a post-mortem examination was inconclusive, prompting further tests.

But he told the hearing: “Recent use of heroin and the levels identified were likely to have played a role in her death.”

Peaches Geldof, who died last month at the age of 25. Picture: PA

It marks a parallel to the death of her mother, TV presenter and writer Paula Yates, who died from an accidental heroin overdose at her London home aged 41 in 2000.

Mr Fotheringham spoke of the days and final moments of Geldof - married to musician Tom Cohen - during the brief hearing in front of North West Kent coroner Roger Hatch.

Mr Fotheringham said: “On Thursday April 3, 2014, Thomas Cohen went with his two sons to stay for the weekend at his parents’ house in south-east London.

“This is a normal occurrence which enables Peaches and Thomas to complete work in their respective careers.”

He added: “It is believed that Peaches spent Saturday afternoon, into the evening, and Sunday morning at her home address alone.

“Throughout this period she maintained telephone contact with family and friends, including contact with Thomas’s mother to arrange a family activity, but this was cancelled.

“Peaches maintained contact with family and friends throughout Sunday and at 5pm Thomas’s father Keith Cohen took the youngest child, Phaedra, back to Wrotham and spent half an hour with Peaches before leaving the child with her.”