Tragic death riddle of young Weymouth mum (From Thisisdorset)

Tragic death riddle of young Weymouth mum

10:10am Monday 29th June 2009

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A YOUNG mum tragically died just 72 hours after complaining of a headache.

Natalie Turner’s family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off her life-support machine at Dorset County Hospital after she was struck down by a mystery illness.

Her devastated family today paid tribute to the ‘beautiful girl’ who was taken away so suddenly.

The bubbly mother-of-one,who was just 24, was described as being ‘healthy and full-of-life’ at a family barbecue just days before she began feeling unwell.

Natalie’s life support machine was turned off with her family and boyfriend of four years, Ricki Churchill, by her side.

Her father, Robert Turner of Frampton said he felt empty and devastated by the sudden loss of his ‘daddy’s girl’.

He said: “I feel like all my insides have gone and everything’s been taken away.

“I just feel devastated.

“Natalie was the happy type and never short of friends.

“She had just overcome a drug addiction and had been clean for nine months before she died.

“That’s the sad thing, she had her life back on track and we were all so proud of her. She was hoping to become a drugs counsellor.”

Robert said Natalie, who has a six-year-old son Rio, had planned to start a college course at Weymouth College and wanted to work in drug rehabilitation to help others beat addiction.

Natalie grew up in Dorchester and attended Manor Park First School and St Osmund’s Middle School before going to Thomas Hardye School.

Her step-mum April said: “She was a daddy’s girl, full stop.

“She absolutely doted on Rob and idolised him.”

Accountant Robert said Natalie had emailed her step-sister Becca, who she was close to, through Facebook and was ‘all right then’ although she had complained of headaches.

She went into Dorset County Hospital but her condition deteriorated rapidly.

Robert added: “We were initially told that she had contracted meningitis and it was just so quick.

“We’re still shaken.

“She went into hospital on the Wednesday and the next day she was virtually gone. The doctors said there was no hope and her life support machine was switched off on the Saturday.

Mr Turner said that the cause of Natalie’s death was not known and was being treated as natural causes.

He said: “The post mortem showed up a brain infarction (when blood supply is cut off causing tissue to die) but what caused that is not known.”

Natalie’s mother Maria Damon said on the Saturday prior to Natalie’s death her daughter was ‘fun, happy, enjoying life’, playing with Rio who she ‘adored’ at a family barbecue. Natalie had been getting everyone to pose for pictures with her camera and making videos of Rio, who lives with his other gran Sally in Dorchester, while singing the song Lonely by the artist Akon.

Maria said it was just so sad that her ‘beautiful’ Natalie would never see the images and added that she could not bring herself to watch the video.

She said: “On Wednesday, Natalie was taken into hospital. We got up there that night and were told she was all right.

“But she started being sick in front of us and we were asked to leave.

“I got a phone call at 5am that morning and was told to get up there and she was on a ventilator with all the medicines.

“She stayed like that until Saturday evening when the machine was turned off. We can’t believe it.”

Maria added: “Natalie was very kind and would give you her last pound if she thought you needed it.

“She thought the world of Rio, her son.”

Natalie’s brother Stuart Damon said the two words that best described his sister were ‘free spirit’.

He said: “I’d go for months on end without seeing her and then she would be around for ages.

“She was very spontaneous and active, that was just her.”

It was on Stuart’s 33rd birthday that Natalie was first taken into hospital.

Natalie’s boyfriend Ricki stayed by her side until the end, holding her hand every night.

Since she passed away, Ricki and Maria said they went daily to the chapel of rest at the hospital where her body lay.

Ricki said Natalie, who lived in Weymouth, had been about to move in with him in Crossways.

He added: “It’s just all so out of the blue. We are devastated that she’s gone.”

• Natalie’s funeral will take place at St George’s Church, Dorchester on Thursday, July 2.
  
  

The family said they intend to make the service a celebration of Natalie’s life.

Donations in memory of Natalie may be given to set up a trust fund for her son Rio through Woods Funeral Service, 11A Icen Way, Dorchester, DT1 1EW.

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