Kim Gibson, 50, was found submerged in shallow water at her home in Newton Flotman by her son after her condition had deteriorated significantly.

Her inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court was told how emergency services were called to her home on the afternoon of June 25, 2025, after she was discovered unresponsive in the bath.

Paramedics from the East Anglian Air Ambulance attended but despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead at 4.15pm.

Norfolk Coroner's Court in Norwich. (Image: Newsquest)

Her son, Harry Gibson, a landscaper, told the court how he had returned home shortly after finishing work as he had been working nearby.

“I popped home after work to grab a beer,” he said.

“I checked the sofa, which is where I’d usually find mum watching the telly. She wasn’t there, so I checked the garden in case she had fallen outside.

“I poked my head into the bathroom but didn’t see anything at first. I checked another bedroom, then looked in the bathroom again, and that’s when I saw her in the bath.”

He found his mother lying mostly on her back, submerged beneath around an inch of water.

“I drained the water from the bath and began CPR straight away,” he said. “I called 999 and the ambulance and air ambulance arrived within about 15 minutes.”

A post mortem examination concluded Mrs Gibson died as a result of drowning, with her multiple sclerosis (MS) identified as a significant contributing condition.

Recording a conclusion of an accidental death, assistant coroner Robin Weyell heard she had been diagnosed with MS in 2010, but her condition worsened dramatically in recent years.

By 2023 she had developed secondary progressive MS, and by early 2025 her mobility had deteriorated further, with medical professionals advising she should always use a wheelchair and avoid cooking or bathing when alone in the house.

An inquest was held into the death of Kim Gibson, pictured is her husband Paul (Image: Supplied)

Her husband, Paul Gibson, a factory worker, said she had been “struggling a lot” but remained determined to maintain her independence.

“She did not want to be a burden and ask for help,” he said. “She put on a brave face.”

He told the court she had begun “holding on” to surfaces and would “furniture surf” to move around after suffering repeated falls in the months before her death.

Despite these challenges, she continued to take pride in doing small daily tasks.

On the day she died, she had visited former colleagues at Harford Bridge Tesco and later texted her husband to say she had “done the bins”.

“That was her little job,” Paul noted. “It may sound small, but it mattered to her. It was something she could still do, and she enjoyed doing it.”

Her family believe her determination to remain independent may have played a role in the tragic circumstances of her death.

Harry added: “I truly believe my mum died in the bath as a freak accident.

“Trying to tell mum not to do things was near pointless. She was a very determined person.”

Paul said he believed she may have slipped while attempting to use the bath chair and a bath tap was later found to be “skewed”.

The coroner agreed there was no evidence of anything other than an accident, noting Mrs Gibson’s underlying illness had left her vulnerable.

He said: “Kim was a very determined person and was keen to do everything she could do to maintain her independence.

“Her MS had a profound impact, particularly in the last two years. A major factor in her death was her diagnosis, which significantly affected her mobility.

"I offer my sincere condolences. I can that you’ve been working incredibly hard for a number of years looking after your wife."

Paying tribute after the inquest, her husband described her as “very brave” and said he would now try to find closure.

Colleagues at Tesco had remembered her fondly, describing her as a “pocket rocket” and a “force of nature” whose determination left a lasting impression on those who knew her.

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