Death inexplicable, says coroner

The death of a 19-year-old DCU engineering student from carbon monoxide poisoning is "inexplicable", a coroner has said.

Shauna O'Donnell, from Clareville Road, Harold's Cross, Dublin, was found unconscious on the floor of her grandfather's bathroom on August 15th last year.

An autopsy carried out at St James's Hospital, where Ms O'Donnell died, revealed that her lungs were "startlingly pink", indicating carbon monoxide poisoning. Laboratory tests carried out at Beaumont Hospital later revealed that she had a concentration of carbon monoxide which was almost seven times the safest level.

However, extensive tests carried out on the house revealed that the boiler and heating system were in good order.

Dublin City Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said there was no explanation as to why her death had occurred. He adjourned the case to determine if anything else could have caused the poisoning.

He also indicated that he would look again at the integrity of the sample which was examined at Beaumont Hospital and the cardiac tests carried out on Ms O'Donnell after her death. The case was adjourned until November 27th.