A Dagenham woman was found dead in her home after slipping into a coma due to alcohol poisoning, a court has heard.

Daiva Antanaviciene, 57, was found dead at her home in Listowel Road last month.

An investigation has now been opened into her death by the East London Coroner’s Court.

Senior coroner Graeme Irvine said the death had been referred to the coroner’s service by the Metropolitan Police Service.

Emergency services were called to Ms Antanaviciene’s home on October 13. She was found dead inside. Police identified her at the scene.

“Cause of death could not be offered by the emergency services who made the death referral,” Mr Irvine told the Walthamstow courthouse during a brief hearing on Tuesday (November 19).

The coroner ordered a post-mortem examination. Conducted on October 22, it gave Ms Antanaviciene’s cause of death as a coma and respiratory depression caused by “acute alcohol toxicity”.

As it was “not a natural death”, said Mr Irvine, “the threshold for opening an inquest is reached.”

He declared Ms Antanaviciene’s next of kin “interested persons” in the inquest, meaning they will have the right to view evidence ahead of the inquest and then question any witnesses called to court to give evidence.

Mr Irvine ordered his staff to obtain a background statement from Ms Antanaviciene’s family and copies of her GP records.

“If the deceased was receiving treatment in relation to drug or alcohol misuse, I will need a statement from the local drug and alcohol agency,” Mr Irvine said.

The full inquest was listed for May 1.