The Lancashire mom made headlines earlier this year when she disappeared while on a morning walk with her dog in the middle of a work call.
Nicola Bulley’s death was “accidental,” a coroner ruled during a two-day inquiry into her death.
Senior coroner Dr. James Adeley said the 45-year-old mom from Northern England likely fell into the freezing water and died of drowning, according to BBC News.
While close friends originally doubted the theory that she drowned to death, saying on social media that she was a strong swimmer, experts on drowning said she would have died within minutes due to the freezing shock, and that her first gasp was likely underwater, according to the Manchester Evening News.
They also addressed other rumors swirling following the news of the Lancashire woman’s disappearance, including that she may have died of suicide. “There was no indication of any intention to take her own life,” Adeley said, according to The Guardian.
Bulley had texted a friend the night before to organize a playdate with their two daughters, according to the friend’s testimony during the inquest, Manchester Evening News reported. The next morning, Bulley had confirmed a time to meet for the following day, her friend said.
That was the last text before she fell into the water, Manchester Evening News reported.
Experts also said at her inquest that there was no evidence of alcohol in her system, nor was there any evidence she was harmed by a third party, The Guardian reported.
Bulley’s family said in a statement following the inquest, “The emotional impact will stay long in our hearts and whilst we’ll never get over the loss of our Nikki, we will forever remember her as the brilliant mum, partner, daughter and sister that we all knew and loved so very much.”
