'Devoted' mother-of-two, 32, mysteriously dies in her sleep one hour after she kissed her husband goodnight
Mother-of-two Stacey Frere died in her sleep
The death of a 'devoted' mother-of-two who died in her sleep just metres away from her children has left doctors puzzled today.
Stacey Frere, 32, kissed her husband Ben goodnight before heading to bed in the home they shared with their young children. Just one hour later, in the tragic scene, Ben, 36, found his wife lifeless.
'I knew something was wrong straight away as I couldn't hear her breathing and her lips were blue. I panicked. I didn't know what to do. I was pressing her chest, trying to get her breathing. But it was too late,' the husband of 10 years said.
Emergency services rushed to the Fullers Slade home in Milton Keynes and tried to resuscitate Stacey, but despite their best efforts, tragically there was nothing they could do.
The couple's two children, seven-year-old Lottie and Tyler, nine, were asleep in their bedrooms, unaware of the tragedy. Their world came crashing down when Ben had the heartbreaking task of explaining that their beloved mother had died.
The couple's two children, seven-year-old Lottie and Tyler, nine, were asleep in their bedrooms, unaware of the tragedy. Their world came crashing down when Ben had the heartbreaking task of explaining that their beloved mother had died.
'I was in such shock I don't even remember what I said. I think I just told them mummy had gone to be with their grandma and grandpa, who died a while ago,' he said.
'It was so sudden and so unexpected. Nobody can even tell us why she died. They miss her terribly. We all do. She was the most caring, lovely person. She never put herself first and would always be there to help others.'
It was just two weeks before Christmas when Stacey tragically passed away, but a post-mortem found no problems with Stacey's heart or kidneys today.
The grieving family were awaiting toxicology and tissue sample results but had been told by doctors it could be a case of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, which affects around 500 people in the UK every year.
Stacey Frere, 32, kissed her husband Ben goodnight before heading to bed in the home they shared with their young children. Just one hour later, in the tragic scene, Ben, 36, found his wife lifeless
Stacey, a former Radcliffe pupil, was a diabetic and had struggled with her weight over the years.
'She was a big girl. She weighted 30 stone. She had always been quite big but she put on weight after having each of the babies and couldn't lose it. She had ulcers on her legs was finding it difficult to get around and manage stairs and things,' said Ben.
Days before her death, Stacey was feeling faint and dizzy. Tests showed her blood sugar was so high that it was affecting her kidneys. She was admitted to hospital for a day and night for it to be stabilised, her husband explained.
'Her blood sugar was still a bit high when she was discharged, but they had scanned her and tested her and said she was fine.
'She had actually spoken to the doctor the day before she died about going on a bariatric programme to lose weight and perhaps have a gastric band fitted.'
Ben has health problems himself and, unable to work, acted as Stacey's full-time carer. Today, he was looking after their two children full-time and struggling to pay off the massive loans he had to take out to pay for her funeral.
'It cost £7,000. I got loans to pay for it. What else could I do. Stacey deserved a lovely funeral. We were only allowed 30 people but the whole estate would have come if they'd be able to,' he said.
Relatives have set up a fundraising page to help pay off some of the funeral costs. So far they have reached £565 of the £3000 target.