A ‘heartbroken’ 27-year-old daughter has been found dead on the M4 after being unable to go to her grandmother’s funeral because of coronavirus lockdown rules.
Abigail Hussey was found in the early hours of the morning in the carriageway of the motorway after losing her 93-year-old grandmother to Covid-19 and being too worried to travel from Penllergaer, South Wales, to south-east England to say goodbye.
Emergency services tried to revive her but she was tragically declared dead at the scene near Swansea. Her death comes weeks after fears that up to 150,000 could die from non-Covid-19 causes due to the lockdown, included suicides and domestic violence.
Abigail Hussey (pictured with her parents) has been found dead by the M4 following the devastation of her grandmother’s death
Abigail’s father, Alan Hussey, told The Sun Online that his daughter was devastated that she couldn’t travel to her grandmother’s funeral 200 miles away. He believes that the cause of his daughter’s death was suicide.
‘I’ll never know what was in her head at that time but I think her nan’s death just two weeks ago from the virus contributed to it.
‘She was extremely upset and sad when nan died so suddenly. Abby was desperate to go and say goodbye to her at the service, but she was worried about breaking the lockdown travel ban.’
Last month, columnist Fraser Nelson wrote in the Telegraph that he’d been told by a Whitehall insider that early estimates and models projected up to 100,000 people losing their lives for lockdown-related reasons other than the virus itself.
Abigail Hussey (pictured) was heartbroken at not being able to attend her grandmother’s funeral due to lockdown
Mr Hussey added that he was shocked by the news, because the last time they’d spoken was the evening before she was found, when she seemed fine.
The heartbroken father said that his psychology graduate daughter had spend her final day stripping down and repairing a mini-motorbike she’d had since childhood.
He added that it wasn’t unusual for her to take a nighttime walk if she was having trouble sleeping. But he thought it was strange that on that last occasion she left her house she didn’t take one of the dogs.
Remembering his daughter, he described her as a wonderful, honest woman who cared deeply about the people in her life and had a fondness for animals.
Police have appealed for any drivers who may have seen Abigail before her death and asked them to check dash-cam footage.
They say dog-loving Abigail was known to have been on a bridge close to the motorway before she was found at 4.30am on Tuesday.
A spokesman said: ‘South Wales Police is currently investigating the death and sudden death of a 27 year old woman from Swansea. She has been named as Abigail Hussey from Penllergaer.
‘At around 4:30am on Tuesday 12th May a report was received of a female having been located in the carriageway of the M4 motorway, between junctions 47 and 48.
‘Emergency services attended but despite immediate medical assistance she was declared deceased.
‘South Wales Police is appealing for any witnesses who may have travelled along the A48 Swansea Road, Penllergaer in the vicinity of the motorway overbridge where the female is known to have been, who may have seen her at the location.
‘Motorists who were travelling along the motorway and may have seen this female on the overbridge, or a gold coloured Citroen C4 at this time, and may have dash cam footage are also asked to contact South Wales Police on 101 quoting reference 2000163094. Family members are currently being supported by a specially trained police officer.’
Ms Hussey (pictured with a friend) was found dead on the side of the M4 after being devastated about not being able to attend her grandmother’s funeral
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org for details
‘Bright’ A-level student, 17, is found dead in a park leaving a notebook detailing his fears over how lockdown might affect his exams as devastated brother, 18, urges students to speak out on the pressures of home-schooling
By William Cole for MailOnline
The devastated family of a 17-year-old boy found dead in a park has urged students to speak out about the pressures of education during lockdown.
Matthew Mackell was found dead in the picturesque Dunorlan Park in Tunbridge Wells, Kent on May 7. Police and paramedics attended but the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene, with the incident not being treated as suspicious.
His brother Chris Mackell says a notebook the family found since Matthew’s death shows the A-level student feared for his future and how lockdown would affect his school results.
A Level student Matthew Mackell, 17, was found dead in the picturesque Dunorlan Park in Tunbridge Wells, Kent on May 7. A notebook his family have since found shows the A-level student feared for his future and how lockdown would affect his school results
The 18-year-old said: ‘He was writing about his feelings and that he wasn’t happy. It was quite dark. It wasn’t nice to read.
‘But I wasn’t aware of any problems at all. If anything I thought he was doing more than well with it. No one really thought that Matt was worried about that.
‘Matt was stupidly successful at school. I was speaking to a couple of his friends and they were saying he was 100 per cent the brightest one out of the whole year.
‘He literally spent his breaks and lunches doing all his work and doing extra. But he was worried that he was going to end up in a dead end job which is stupid to think about, especially when he was doing so well.
‘I think he enjoyed school and was quite proud of himself.’
Matthew wanted to study at university and had aspirations to become an accountant.
His brother Chris Mackell said: ‘He was writing about his feelings and that he wasn’t happy. It was quite dark. It wasn’t nice to read. But I wasn’t aware of any problems at all. If anything I thought he was doing more than well with it’
While still coming to terms with the tragic loss, Matthew’s family, who live in Tunbridge Wells are attempting to highlight how tough the uncertainty surrounding closed schools during lockdown can be.
Wishing no one suffers in silence, Chris added: ‘If anyone in school is worried about lockdown, don’t be. You can more than make up for what you’re missing out on now.
‘It’s not the end of your A-levels and it’s certainly not the end of the world you not being at school right now. Obviously people are stressing out about it.
‘I want to emphasise the mental health aspect and that help is there. You are not a burden on someone because that’s one thing Matt was worried about – having to go and talk to someone.
‘He felt bringing his problems to them would bring them down and be a pain in the arse for them.
‘A lot of his friends really can’t believe it. One boy was kicked out of the sixth form year because he wasn’t doing enough work and he was saying to me that it’s given him a kick up the arse to go back to school and do his A levels.
‘One girl also saw the email from the school so went up to her mum and told her she wasn’t 100 per cent so they sat down and had a word about it all which is lovely to hear.’
While still coming to terms with the tragic loss, Matthew’s family, who live in Tunbridge Wells are attempting to highlight how tough the uncertainty surrounding closed schools during lockdown can be. Pictured: Floral tributes left in Dunorlan Park
A fundraising page has raised more than £7,300 for Matthew’s funeral costs and to plant a memorial tree in Dunorlan Park in his memory.
In the JustGiving description, Matthew’s dad Michael Bond, 48, who described his son as ‘the most kind hearted young man you could ever meet’
He wrote: ‘I’d like to stress to you all, that if anyone needs to talk through anything at all that’s worrying them, please talk to someone, don’t keep it to yourself.
‘Check on people, make sure they are ok, give them a hug… talk.’
These words were echoed by Matthew’s headteacher Dr Hilary Macaulay, who described the ‘great sadness’ felt by the Skinners Kent Academy community that the Year 12 pupil played such a large part of.
Matthew, who died on May 7, was in the first year of his A-levels before sitting exams next year, had been hand picked out of Year 12 to do a two-week work placement with an American investment management firm in London.
Dr Macaulay wrote in a letter to parents sent out on Monday: ‘His father has asked that I stress to you all that, if anyone feels they need to talk through anything at all in their lives that is worrying them, to please talk to someone and not keep it to themselves.
‘We are aware that this will be upsetting for students at the Academy.
‘The particular situation we are faced with, both as a country and a community with schools currently closed, also makes bringing together our students at this time more challenging.
‘Academy staff are on hand as well as our colleagues from the Educational Psychology Service to ensure that we provide appropriate, ongoing support to those affected.
‘Our thoughts are with Matthew’s family and the whole Academy community sends them our deepest heartfelt condolences and support at this incredibly sad time.’
She also described the ‘very popular student’ as ‘representing everything that our Academy stands for and values right from the start of his time in Year 7 and relishing every opportunity as he moved up into our Sixth Form’.
Floral tributes now completely cover a bridge in Dunorlan Park in memory of the much-loved teenager.
Police sealed the area off while an investigation was carried out with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council urging people not to do their daily exercise in the usually busy 78-acre green space.
Kent Police confirmed they are not treating the death as suspicious.
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or see www.samaritans.org for details