Mysterious death of Kirra-Lea McLoughlin examined at inquest in the Brisbane Coroners Court

Counsel assisting the coroner in the inquest into the mysterious death of Kirra-Lea McLoughlan submitted that her former de facto partner had a role in her death.

Outrageous, outspoken and ridiculously funny are words Kirra-Lea McLoughlan’s mother used to describe her daughter on what would have been her 34th birthday.

The mysterious death of Ms McLoughlin, 27, was examined at an inquest in the Brisbane Coroners Court on Tuesday.

Ms McLoughlin was rushed to hospital after she was found unconscious in her home in Wolvi, near Gympie, on July 17, 2014.

She died in hospital the following day and despite her extensive injuries, the cause of her death has not been determined and no one has ever been charged over her death.

The inquest heard Ms McLoughlin had a physical altercation with her former partner Paul McDonald’s sister on the night of the incident.

Mr McDonald’s sister struck Ms McLoughlin several times and she fell backwards and hit her head on a cupboard.

Kirra McLoughlin in what's said to be one of the last photos taken of her alive.

Counsel assisting the coroner John McInnes submitted that Ms McLoughlan’s former de facto partner Mr McDonald had a role in the woman’s death.

“In very simple terms the cause of death was swelling of the brain, the swelling was caused by an obstruction of air or blood,” he said.

“My submission is that the preponderance of the evidence now available supports the conclusion that Paul McDonald did some act which was a substantial cause of the death of Kirra-Lea McLoughlin, that’s the most likely scenario.”

It comes after Forensic Medical Officer Dr Adam Griffin told the inquest some of her injuries led him to believe she could have been strangled.

He said she suffered haemorrhaging to the lower skin of her right eye as well as her eyelid.

“The most likely cause (of the haemorrhage) would be some sort of impairment in the blood flow returning from the neck, some sort of force high around the neck would be one I can’t eliminate as causative,” he said.

Kirra McLoughlin.

He said a mild to moderate amount of force likely caused superficial injuries and bruising on Ms McLoughlin’s neck, as there was no muscle or soft tissue damage.

Referring to Ms McLoughlin’s haemorrhage as well as her superficial injuries to the neck, Dr Griffin said the symptoms were compatible with strangulation.

“In a clinical setting if a person presents with these symptoms it would be my first clinical concern that they’d actually been strangled,” Dr Griffin said.

Mr McDonald’s barrister Kim Bryson submitted that it was not possible to determine the exact injury in this case.

“It’s submitted that it’s completely impossible to determine the exact mechanism of the injuries sustained by Ms McLoughlin that led to her death, because there are simply too many hypotheses open on the evidence,” she said.

“In my submission there are other possibilities that arise on the evidence which supports the hypothesis that an event occurred in the absence of any act on the part of Mr McDonald.”

Kirra-Lea McLoughlin’s mother Alison at the inquest into Ms Mcloughlin’s death in the Brisbane Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Outside the court Ms Mcloughlin’s mother Alison, who asked to keep her surname private, said the process has been incredibly long.

“It’s been a very difficult process and a lot of not knowing, waiting, and not understanding,” she said.

“I don’t know if there are words to describe my daughter, she was outspoken, she was outrageous, she was ridiculously funny - she was just the light of my life.”

“Hopefully this inquest will bring out some answers for all of us and justice for my girl.”

Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley adjourned the inquest to a later date where she is expected to hand down her findings.