Holly McLaughlin, 29, was discovered at her flat in Salford, Greater Manchester, where she worked as an escort to top up her wages.
She used a cupboard in her bedroom to hide in if she felt scared or was trying to avoid someone, her friend Deborah Walsh told the inquest.
‘If she was scared she would always go there. She would hide there to make it appear that there was no one in the house or as though she had left,’ she said.
Police investigating Holly’s death thought originally a third party might have been involved, but it was later found that she died from pneumonia, possibly after taking drugs M-Cat and GBL.
The coroner recorded a narrative conclusion, saying there was no evidence of third party involvement, and that it was likely Holly had been under the influence of drugs.
‘It’s clear to me she had a number of friends. It’s a pity she didn’t live long enough to have the benefit of detox. She did, in my view, live a very sad, chaotic and ultimately tragic lifestyle.’