This article is from page 6 of the 2007-05-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
A 37-YEAR-OLD German man was dead in his Ennis apartment for a fortnight before his body was discov- ered, an inquest heard last week.
Christian Sonntag’s body was found in a one-bed apartment on O’Connell Street, on July 12, 2005. He had not been seen for over two weeks.
Ennis Coroner’s Court heard last week that Mr Sonntag had not col- lected his mail since June 24.
Jens Gottloeber, another German national, said he had worked with Mr Sonntag in Shannon.
He said Mr Sonntag had asked him to give his “sick papers” to his boss, as he had been ill.
He said he knew Mr Sonntag had been in hospital and he last saw him in the Diamond pub, three weeks be- fore his body was found.
He had tried to phone him a number of times in the interim, but could not get through.
William Justin said he last saw his friend Mr Sonntag in the Diamond pub, on June 24.
Detective Garda Brendan Rouine told Ennis Coroner’s Court that he saw the body on a bed in the apart- ment on July 12.
“The body was in a state of semi- decomposition and had obviously been there for a period of time,” he
said. He said there had been no sign of “anything untoward” in the apart- ment.
State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy carried out a post mortem examination on the body on July 13, 2005. She said there was “advanced decomposition of the body”, which suggested he had been dead for up to two weeks.
‘There were no marks or injuries to the head or body and his death was not related to trauma,” she said.
Professor Cassidy noted that Mr Sonntag’s heart was grossly enlarged and that this could cause sudden col- lapse and death at any time. At the time of death, he was intoxicated by alcohol and had also been taking amphetamines, which could cause the heart to beat irregularly. She concluded that his death was princi- pally due to the enlarged heart, with alcohol and amphetamines possible contributory factors.
Coroner Isobel O’Dea suggested than an open verdict be brought in and the jury agreed.
“It is a very sad situation for some- one to die in such circumstances,” said Ms O’Dea.
Inspector Tom Kennedy – said, “Quite a bit of thorough investigat- ing went into the case and there were communications between gardai and his family in Germany at the time.”