Inquest finds mother may have hastened death of terminally ill son

An inquest has concluded that the death of seven-year-old Hamish Cooper in December 1981 may have been "hastened" by his mother, Antonya Cooper, who admitted to giving him a large dose of morphine to relieve his pain. Hamish was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at age five and underwent 16 months of painful treatment. The coroner noted that while his death was expected, the morphine administration could have contributed to it. Antonya Cooper, who was terminally ill herself, died weeks after discussing her actions in a July 2024 interview. The inquest considered various possibilities regarding her intent and the context of morphine use at home for terminally ill patients.