Young teacher found dead after being locked in cell naked in 'traumatising' experience

A young teacher was found dead after she was left traumatised having been stripped and locked in a police cell naked, an inquest has heard. Newly-qualified teacher Jorja Watt, 27, from Lancaster, had spent six years studying toward her teaching degree and was excited to start a job in Costa Rica when she died suddenly on September 1. Jorja lived with mental health issues for much of her life and had been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder - a condition characterised by intense and unstable emotions.

She had been arrested during a night out several months before her death at her friend Charlie's house in Heysham, west of Lancaster, and was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. But when she was taken to the police station, she was allegedly "stripped and left naked in a cell.". Jorja's mum Marie said the incident left her daughter "traumatised" and that she and her dad submitted a formal complaint. Jorja also believed it would end her dream of being a teacher and her mental health spiralled as a result, an inquest heard at Preston Coroner's Court.

Jorja had stopped taking her medication and started to go to "drug dens" where she would take her prescription medication in a bid to "self medicate," the court heard. She often went to her friend Charlie's house which is where she was found dead on the morning of September 1, 2024. Marie described her daughter as "quietly spoken, intelligent and kind." In a statement, she added: "She self-medicated and frequented drug dens. She said her main motivation was to dilute her heightened emotions and to feel calm.".

Charlie's mum, Voirrey Wilde said she knew Jorja since she was a baby. In a statement shared at the inquest, she said: "I had gone to sleep and woke up, Jorja had knocked on the door and she came in with two bags and went in the front room with a male friend called Adam. At around 1 o'clock I woke up to Charlie shouting 'Jorja' repeatedly. I knew something was wrong. I found her slumped on the sofa. Her lips were blue and she was unresponsive.".

The inquest heard Jorja had been at the house of a friend called "Tall Gill." Before she arrived at Charlie's home Jorja had been to Tall Gill's to collect her bags, LancsLive reported. One of her friends told police: "Jorja had been to this person's house, seen a bottle of brown liquid on the side and said 'I'm taking that'.". A post-mortem toxicology test found Jorja had several prescription medications in her system at the time of her death including the heroin substitute methadone, pregabalin and dihydrocodeine. She also had been taking painkillers due to a wound on her leg that she was previously admitted to hospital for. Area coroner Kate Bisset recorded a conclusion of misadventure - where death is the unintended consequence of an action.

She added: "Jorja was very much a free spirit. She obviously had a core of real steel in her to complete a degree over six years and maintain a job while going through these struggles and that shows a real strength of character.". The cause of her death was recorded as multi medication toxicity with emotionally unstable personality disorder listed as a contributory factor. Miss Bissett added: "I think it is right to record this is not someone who is taking drugs for a high and chasing a thrill. Her mental health was a real battle for her and taking medication was an attempt to win that battle.".