3-Year old girl survives on bread for four days after mom kills herself

A three-year-old was found surviving on bread and butter for up to four days after her mother took her own life, an inquest has heard. 

Aimee Louise Evans, 28, from Port Talbot, south Wales, was found dead at her home in Dalton Road on April 7 this year. PC Clive Morris said the 28-year-old’s toddler was also in the house and was looking unkempt.

I became increasingly aware of the three-year-old’s wellbeing – the child had been there for three to four days and she was unkempt.

She was taken to hospital to be checked by a paediatrician, Mr Morris said.

PC Morris said officers believe she survived by eating loaves of bread and some butter. Ms Evans’ son was staying with his father in the Bridgend area at the time. PC Morris said Ms Evans had sent a text to her mum, Julie Evans, on April 4, asking her to collect her daughter because she was ‘ending it’, to which Julie Evans replied by saying ‘do not be daft’ and asking her daughter what the matter was. That was the last time the two of them spoke, PC Morris added.

Julie Evans repeatedly tried to make contact with her daughter over the following days, including visiting the property, but got no reply. The inquest heard the single mum was last seen alive on April 3, when she went to her mum’s house.

She had been drinking, but wasn’t drunk, and was checking the Facebook profile of a man she had been seeing on and off. PC Morris said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Ms Evans’ death, adding that she had no history of mental health problems. The inquest heard the mum-of-two used to drink most evenings and was a victim of domestic violence in previous relationships.

Her mum said Aimee was a happy, outgoing individual that showed no signs of depression. She said her children were always well cared for – that they were always clean, tidy, and well looked after. This is one of the hardest cases I have dealt with, PC Morris said.

Senior coroner Colin Phillips recorded a conclusion of suicide after a post-mortem found the cause of death to be hanging.

Speaking after the inquest Ms Evans’ friend, Stacey Ansell, said: ‘Aimee is truly missed by many people.

If she knew how many people are heartbroken over her passing she would be overwhelmed. It deeply saddens me that she felt she couldn’t reach out to any of us.

Another friend, Charlene Coulter, said:

Aimee’s passing left a massive gap in our lives – she had so much to live for. I really wish she would have picked up the phone and confided in one of her friends as we would have been there in a second.

Aimee will never be forgotten by any of us – we love and miss her dearly.