The judge said Barnett had tried to hang herself with police present and had taken an overdose of paracetamol.
“Her intention was to take her own life but only at the point Oakley would be removed from her by police,” the judge said, summing up Barnett’s defence case.
Nicola Pope, senior Crown prosecutor, said: “This was an extremely tragic case, which had a profound impact on everyone involved.
“I hope that today’s outcome provides some measure of peace to Oakley’s family and loved ones during this deeply upsetting time.”
An IOPC spokesperson said it had received a mandatory referral from Essex Police into the handling of its missing persons search for the pair.
“All officers involved were treated as witnesses throughout our investigation which concluded in July 2025,” they said.
“We found there was no indication any officer had committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner justifying the bringing of disciplinary proceedings.
“However, as a result of our investigation, we have identified potential learning for Essex Police in relation to house searches in missing person investigations and we are consulting with the force to progress this.”