A woman has opened up on her heartbreak after learning that her mum was dead in a restaurant toilet for three days before being found.
27-year-old Jade Casey said that her mum, Sabrina Marlynn Lyttle, was found dead in the disabled toilet of The Gurkha Buffet Restaurant, Hotel and Bar in Blackpool.
She says that she doesn't know why her mum went into the toilet, but it was days before the door was opened and the body of the 47-year-old was discovered, with the restaurant having had customers in during that time.
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Jade said: "The police have told us that customers were complaining that they couldn't get into the toilet, but they assumed something had happened with the lock.
"They then opened up the disabled toilet and found her on the Saturday morning. I'm angry because she could have been found sooner, they should have done the usual toilet checks.
"It's heartbreaking because we know she was left in the cold, on her own. I know she was dead but it's the fact she was there while people were eating and drinking.
"We don't know the cause of death yet but there's part of us that thought she might have been struggling and needed help and then could have been saved."
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She said that CCTV footage showed her mum going into the restaurant on 28 November last year and going into the disabled toilet, though they 'aren't sure' why she decided to go in there.
Police said they did not find drugs at the scene, and Jade says she thinks her mum 'broke into the disabled toilet' and 'picked the lock to get in so she didn't have to ask for a key'.
The 47-year-old's daughter suggested that she might have gone in there 'to get warm' as she'd been 'released from prison the day before'.
Jade said her mum was a' funny and kind' woman who 'suffered with addiction' and was 'in and out' of being homeless for 25 years
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A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: "We were called at shortly after 1pm on Saturday, November 30th 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 HM Coroner."
The Gurkha Buffet Restaurant, Hotel and Bar said in a statement: "On Thursday 28th November 2024 at 8.34pm, a non-customer member of the public entered the premises and asked to use the toilets.
"As the restaurant had already closed for the evening, directions to the pub toilets, which are in a separate area of the building, were given. Staff in the pub provided further directions to the general pub toilets and did not issue access to the disabled toilet. Access to the separate and locked disabled toilet is gained via staff as the facility cannot be opened with a RADAR key.
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"The male and female toilets are deep-cleaned every morning and checked throughout the day, with the disabled toilet 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. 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."
Joe Harker