Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack's inquest has been delayed once again, sparking an apology from the coroner. The case was originally set to begin on Monday but was adjourned after 699 pages of new evidence were submitted by the club just days before Christmas.
The delay is the latest blow to the family of the 27-year-old midfielder, who played over 100 games for Sheffield United before her death in September 2023. Her family had expressed frustration with the multiple delays and setbacks in their quest for justice, with lawyers describing a recent batch of evidence as "totally unacceptable" due to its timing.
Coroner Sophie Cartwright has now apologized to Maddy's family for the distress caused by the delay, stating that she had been thinking about them particularly over Christmas. She acknowledged that the new date for the inquest - which may be pushed back further depending on the availability of key witnesses - was "hugely disappointing" and expressed her sympathy for the family.
The club has denied any wrongdoing, insisting they have complied with all requests made by Maddy's family and other parties involved. However, a lawyer representing the family argued that the club had ignored repeated emails about meeting a specific timeline, adding to their frustration. The coroner has promised to review the evidence received from the club more closely in light of these developments.
As the case continues to limbo, Maddy Cusack's former manager at Sheffield United is set to appear as a witness, despite being urged by officials to seek support from a union such as the League Managers Association. The hearing is now expected to start no earlier than June 29, with two weeks allocated for completion.
The delay is the latest blow to the family of the 27-year-old midfielder, who played over 100 games for Sheffield United before her death in September 2023. Her family had expressed frustration with the multiple delays and setbacks in their quest for justice, with lawyers describing a recent batch of evidence as "totally unacceptable" due to its timing.
Coroner Sophie Cartwright has now apologized to Maddy's family for the distress caused by the delay, stating that she had been thinking about them particularly over Christmas. She acknowledged that the new date for the inquest - which may be pushed back further depending on the availability of key witnesses - was "hugely disappointing" and expressed her sympathy for the family.
The club has denied any wrongdoing, insisting they have complied with all requests made by Maddy's family and other parties involved. However, a lawyer representing the family argued that the club had ignored repeated emails about meeting a specific timeline, adding to their frustration. The coroner has promised to review the evidence received from the club more closely in light of these developments.
As the case continues to limbo, Maddy Cusack's former manager at Sheffield United is set to appear as a witness, despite being urged by officials to seek support from a union such as the League Managers Association. The hearing is now expected to start no earlier than June 29, with two weeks allocated for completion.
this case is just so heartbreaking. i feel for maddy's family, they've been through so much already. it's like they're still waiting for justice and answers about what happened to their lovin daughter 
. delays are frustrating enough, but added to the emotions of losin someone young and talented... 
i'm sure it's hard for them to keep goin, know?
... I mean, I feel so sorry for Maddy's family - it's like they're still waiting for justice all over again 
. It's crazy how the club just submitted 699 pages of new evidence days before Christmas and now everyone's freaking out 
. The coroner is trying to apologize, but it's hard to see what she can do given all the delays already 
. And now they're saying this new hearing might be pushed back even more? It's just so frustrating 
. And poor Maddy's family is still waiting for answers... it's just so frustrating 
they have so many options now, like vegan meat alternatives that are actually pretty convincing. i got the veggie supreme and it was honestly really good... anyway, back to this maddy cusack case... can't believe how much drama is going on around her death 
the family's been through so much already and now they're stuck waiting even longer for answers 
maddy's fam deserves justice ASAP 
coroner seems really nice though, her apology means a lot to the family i hope they get some justice soon 
they need answers ASAP 
but like the club is saying they followed protocol and that's what's got everyone in a twist 
and honestly can we talk about how stressful it must be for them to have to deal with all this drama over christmas? poor maddy's family they deserve justice and closure 
i hope they get it soon.
Oh man, this case is like a never-ending soap opera! Can't the club just give Maddy's family some answers already? I mean, I get it, delays happen, but it's like they're trying to make a documentary about her life instead of actually solving the mystery. 
And can we talk about how much evidence did the club submit at the last minute? Like, what's going on over there? Are they playing some kind of game with the law? 
I just hope the coroner gets to the bottom of this and that Maddy's family finally gets some closure. 
but still the timing is super annoying during the holidays 
i hope maddy's former manager shows up as a witness & helps get this case moving forward 
. It sounds like the club is just using this whole thing as an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for their actions (or lack thereof). And now they're saying that key witnesses are hard to come by... well, maybe if you'd done your job properly in the first place, Maddy wouldn't be dead 
. I mean, who does that? And now the coroner has apologized to Maddy's family, which is great, but it's about time someone took responsibility for this mess 
. The coroner's apology might be appreciated by Maddy's family, but what's going to change now? It's just a bunch of delays and excuses 
. And now the coroner is apologizing for it, which is a good start, but I wish they could do more to help her family find some justice and closure 
.
coroner Sophie Cartwright apologizing to them is a good start, but it's just not enough 
! The club saying they've complied with all requests? C'mon, don't try to spin this 
#JusticeForMaddy #SheffieldUnited #InquestUpdate