Mother dies after internet love tryst
By Nigel Rosser, Evening Standard
15 July 2003
A mother who walked out on her husband and children for a stranger she had an affair with over the internet dropped dead within hours of meeting her new lover in person, an inquest heard.
Kim Russell, 35, collapsed naked in front of Stephen Lambert in a hotel room 48 hours after leaving her unsuspecting husband of 15 years.
She had been carrying on the electronic affair for two months but had never seen Mr Lambert in the flesh.
Mrs Russell abandoned her husband Michael and her children Ashley, 13, and Jade, eight, two days after Christmas. She had arranged to meet up with Mr Lambert at the Travelodge hotel six miles from her family home in Yeovil, Somerset.
The couple were celebrating with a bottle of wine when she complained of stomach pains and feeling unwell. She collapsed and Mr Lambert, from Newcastle, called for help.
Hotel staff rushed to her assistance but she was dead before paramedics could arrive. The inquest heard she probably fell victim to "sudden death syndrome", which kills more than 3,000 adults under 40 every year.
Michael Russell told the inquest how his wife had left him and their two children "out of the blue" two days after Christmas. He had not known of her secret affair with Mr Lambert via email and text messages.
Mrs Russell, a carer at a residential home, booked into the Travelodge at Podimore for three nights with Mr Lambert while they started looking for a house together.
Then on 29 December Mr Lambert burst into reception shouting "She's not breathing." Receptionist Mary Buxton, who rushed to Mrs Russell's aid, said: "Mrs Russell was laid on the bed naked. I knew she was dead."
Mrs Russell, who barely drank and did not smoke, was pronounced dead at Yeovil District Hospital.
Pathologist Hugh White carried out a full post-mortem but could find no explanation for Mrs Russell's death. She had had dizzy spells which could indicate an abnormal heart rhythm.
South Somerset coroner Tony Williams recorded an open verdict, telling Mr Russell the CID had thoroughly investigated his wife's death. "You can have peace of mind," he said.
