The inquest into the death of footballer Maddy Cusack has been adjourned to allow for the retrieval of additional evidence, including medical records and digital communications. Assistant Coronerм Cartwright stated on Thursday that the inquest required delay to obtain more information, particularly regarding Cusack's medical records from her time at Sheffield United.
Sheffield United will be asked to provide access to its Microsoft Teams and Google Drive records for any information pertaining to Cusack. An audit of her health records on the club's system in the months leading up to her death will also be requested. The inquest had previously heard from Sheffield United's doctor, Dr. Subhasis Basu, that Cusack's medical records from her time at the club had been lost.
Cusack died after being found unconscious at her family home in September 2023. Grace Riglar, who played for the team and was in a relationship with Cusack, had previously told the court that Cusack was “anxious” about manager Jon Morgan joining the club, citing her experience of working with him at Leicester City.
Giving evidence, Morgan stated he had no concerns about his relationship with Cusack when he joined Sheffield United as manager. He told the inquest that he had offered Cusack a full-time contract and was “really happy” to have her in his team. However, the inquest also heard that Morgan had previously told the Football Association that Cusack was “generally a liar” and had “omitted a lot of information” when discussing his behavior with her family. He had also released the player when he was a coach at Leicester City, the inquest was told.
The assistant coroner apologized to Cusack's family for the prolonged wait for the inquest to conclude. She confirmed that several witnesses, including Dr. Basu and team physio Francesca Carr, would be recalled, and Cusack's mother, Deborah, may also be recalled to give further evidence. The inquest, upon its resumption, is expected to last five days.