The daughter of a Northern Ireland woman found dead in a restaurant toilet says she had been determined to turn her life around following a battle with addiction issues.
Mum-of-two and grandmother Sabrina Lyttle, who is originally from Ballymena, was discovered in a disabled toilet at the Gurkha Buffet Restaurant in Blackpool on November 30 last year, the Mirror has reported. In a touching public tribute, Sabrina's daughter Jade Casey, 27, said that she'd "feared this day since I was a child but nothing could have prepared me for the call".
Jade, who grew up in foster care due to her mum's issues, described her as a "beautiful soul buried beneath all the trauma and addiction". "The drugs stripped you of all of the good parts and only left the bad for a long time but I know how hard you fought, for years, you fought so hard mum, but in the end the battle was too fierce."
Speaking to The Mirror, Jade, 27, described her mum as an "intelligent, funny, caring and kind" lady who "lit up a room".
Sabrina, 47, had battled with drug addiction for many years, the family said, but was an empathetic, caring person who put others' needs before her own, even when she was homeless. Sabrina had been released from prison only the day before she entered the restaurant, Jade said, having served a brief sentence for petty theft.
She was picked up on November 27 and checked into a B&B, before entering the Asian eatery on November 28. She was later discovered on November 30 after access was gained by police.
"I spoke to her in prison to weeks before she was released," said Jade, who is also a mum.
"She was adamant she was going to get a flat and get herself better for her family. Unbeknownst to us, she'd been released and someone from Horizon (a local addiction support service) had picked her up from prison and taken her for breakfast on Wednesday the 27th."
Sabrina's mum, Christine Lyttle, 68, said she was visited by police on November 30 and delivered the tragic news.
"We just have so many questions and need answers," said Christine.
It comes as an inquest opened into Sabrina's tragic death, which is due to be resumed in April this year.
Jade added: "We don't currently know the cause of death or when exactly she died. The restaurant is one we used to eat at and the staff were great. We know she had asked a staff member to use the toilet.
"Knowing she was on the floor while people were eating, drinking and having Christmas parties is just awful."
Sabrina moved to Birmingham from Co Antrim as a child and studied law in college, before later moving to Blackpool to join Christine.
She had two children, as well as a brother, Daniel, 37. Jade, who herself is a trained psychologist and has worked with people battling addiction, added: "It's important we all have a bit more compassion for people with addictions to drugs and alcohol and remember that it's a symptom or a trauma response. These people are beloved friends and family members."
The Mirror says it approached the Gurkha Buffet Restaurant for comment. The restaurant previously said access to the toilet, which was a separate, locked room, could not be gained through a RADAR key, and that while other toilets were checked every day, the disabled toilet was "checked after every authorised use and cleaned as required, due to infrequent use".
"Access to the disabled toilet was not requested until Friday evening around 10pm," a spokesperson said.
"The staff with the assistance of other helpful pub customers were unable to unlock the door and as access had not been granted for the past 24 hours, it was reported as a maintenance issue to management. The following day on Saturday before opening, management was unable to gain access using all secure keys and removing the locking mechanism before alerting the police.
"We are aware of public posts that are full of information that is not correct, and we believe the speculations have not contributed positively to anyone affected, including the grieving family, the dedicated Gurkha staff and the community of Blackpool. We are aware of an ongoing inquest and will not be making any further public comments."
A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary previously said: "We were called at shortly after 1pm on Saturday, November 30 to a report of a sudden death at an address on Waterloo Road in Blackpool. Officers attended and sadly the body of a woman in her 40s was found dead inside the address. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this time. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."
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