The Kuala Lumpur Coroner's Court today ruled that Dr Cynthia Joseph's death was a mishap and not due to foul play.

Coroner Tasnim Abu Bakar said all evidence and exhibits produced in the proceeding could not link her death with any elements of foul play.

"All witnesses testified that they did not see any internal or external injury on Cynthia's body," she said in her written judgment.

She said the quantity of the 'midazolam' drug found in Cynthia's liver and kidney could not be used to establish whether she had taken the drug herself or was given an overdose of the drug which caused her death.

Cynthia, 42, died at the Pantai Cheras Medical Center here on Sept 27, 2004. Police exhumed her body on Dec 2, 2004 after her family lodged a report suspecting foul play in her death.

Eight witnesses were called during the inquest including the deceased's husband Dr Retnarasa Annarasa and her father Joseph Sebastian.

"From the testimony by witnesses, the court gathers that on Sept 25, 2004, Cynthia fainted and was taken in an ambulance to the Pantai Cheras Medical Centre," said Tasnim.

"On arrival, she was given emergency treatment by the sixth witness Dr Ravi Apparow who then confirmed the deceased suffered from hypoglyecemia, which is low sugar content in the blood," she added.

She said Cynthia was found unconscious and with no heart beat by nurses on Sept 27.

"Efforts to save her failed and the sixth witness confirmed the cause of Cynthia's death as cardiac arrest," she added.

Tasnim said a complete post-mortem on the body could not be done as it was already in a decomposed state when exhumed two months later.

- Bernama