Share and Follow
A MISSING mum-of-two was discovered having been eaten by her two pet sausage dogs – with her son saying the animals were “her life”.
Jemma Hart, 45, had not been seen for a month when her body was found partially mauled by the dachshunds at her home in Swindon.
Worried neighbours had noticed her absence and reported their concerns to police in January 2024.
Locals said they regularly passed Jemma walking her dogs, and could often hear the dogs in her back garden.
They became concerned when a text message to Jemma was left unopened and one dog was heard whimpering instead of two.
At the inquest into the Jemma’s death this month, her son described her love for the animals.
He said: “She’d had dogs in the past but in 2022 she got a dachshund called Frankie and a year later she got another one called Millie.
“Her house backed onto Lydiard Park where she regularly walked her dogs, and the dogs were her life.”
Coroner Ian Singleton said: “On January 29, Wiltshire Police was contacted by Jemma’s neighbours with concerns that they hadn’t seen her since Christmas.
“Officers went to her home and found her deceased in the living room.
“One of her dogs was also found dead at the scene and the other was in a distressed condition.”
A police officer confirmed that Jemma’s body had been eaten after her death.
A post-mortem report carried out by toxicologist Peter Street confirmed that the Swindon woman had died from suicide.
Coroner Singleton concluded: “Jemma lived alone with her two dogs in Swindon and she was estranged from her family.
“Jemma was found in her home with injuries caused by dogs after she died. Her death has been recorded as suicide.”
Cops said that her death is not being treated as suspicious.
Despite Jemma’s passion for pets, she faced several health and mobility issues.
It caused her to stop working and she struggled with physical pain and insomnia.
Jemma had lived in the property for around 10 years.
But despite being known to Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health team, she had not had contact with them for many years.
Help for mental health
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.
The following are free to contact and confidential:
Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.
Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk, is the a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales.
