Mum killed her son, nine, before taking her own life after finding her partner on a dating site, inquest told

A MUM killed her nine-year-old son before taking her own life after finding her partner on a dating site, an inquest heard. Tasmin Paterson, 31, and Hudson Paterson were found dead at home in the Fletchersbridge area of Bodmin, Cornwall, in September 2024. The mum and son were found at home in Fletchersbridge, Cornwall Credit: Neil Hope Hudson had been suffocated Credit: Devon & Cornwall Police A court heard Tasmin’s relationship with her partner Marcus Hughes had been on the “verge” of ending before the horror. Marcus had discovered the mum and his stepson in a bedroom at the property they shared. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! He told the inquest the relationship had become “fraught” and strained after she discovered he had been on a dating site. Marcus added: “We’d not broken up necessarily but we were on the verge, I felt. “She believed it was to do with her ongoing health issues, but there were more things going on than that.” Cornwall Coroner’s Court heard Tasmin had battled with health problems after suffering a head injury. She experienced mobility problems as a result and was also under strain from financial and housing issues. Senior coroner Andrew Cox said: “Mr Hughes was Tasmin’s partner at the time of her death and he accepted that while their relationship had been good and healthy and strong at the outset, more recently it had run into difficulties. Most read in The Sun A coroner ruled Tasmin took her own life after killing her son Credit: Neil Hope How to get help EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858 Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk HUMEN www.wearehumen.org Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123 “There had been arguments, never anything physical and never involving Hudson, but I think it’s fair to say… that relationship was coming to an end. “Mr Hughes accepted that Tasmin had caught him on a dating site. “From Tasmin’s perspective, the relationship had not worked out how she had hoped, with all the disappointment and regret that comes with that.” He concluded Tasmin died by suicide and Hudson was unlawfully killed. The inquest heard Hudson had been “poorly” the night before he died so Tasmin arranged to share a room with him. Marcus said when he woke up, he knocked on the locked door and shouted their names but got no response. He then called the police and broke down the door to discovered Tasmin and Hudson dead inside. An investigation was launched but police quickly ruled out Marcus had any involvement in their deaths. A post-mortem found Hudson was likely suffocated by Tasmin, who then took her own life. Hudson’s dad Aaron Paterson said the youngster had been “everything” to his mum, who “loved him with all of her heart”. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.