Mum found dead by three-year-old daughter after she died in her sleep
Tributes have been pouring in for an NHS nurse who was found dead by her three-year-old daughter.
Laura Whittingham, 32, who worked at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, was described as a 'Disney Queen' with the 'most caring heart'.
Her husband Carl Whittingham, 32, explained how 'everything was normal' when they went to bed at their home in Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, on 4 October.
However, Laura didn't wake up the next morning.
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Laura, (née Davies), grew up in Meir, Stoke-on-Trent and attended the now demolished Longton High School on Box Lane.
Her first job was at a Wacky Warehouse, before she started her career in the healthcare industry.
Initially, she worked as a carer looking after adults with special needs before getting a job as a ward assistant in 2012 where she met Carl.
Her husband also works at the Royal Stoke University Hospital as a healthcare assistant and he had already left early for work and had not wanted to disturb his wife.
When he returned after the alarm was raised, he saw his three-year-old daughter, Ava, coming down the stairs having failed to wake up her mummy.
Laura also leaves behind 20-month-old Mia, step-daughter Gracie-Mae, aged 13, her older sister Sam and parents Karen, 57, and Paul Davies, 59.
Carl said: "We both went to bed early that night. We were messing around watching videos on TikTok and laughing about different things on telly. Everything was normal.
“I went out for work at 6am. I never went to check on her before I left. I didn’t give her a kiss as it was so early, she normally moans about me if I do that.
“My dad called, he was worried that Laura wasn’t up to take the children to school. I called the police. When I got home the police had already broken into the house and as I got in they told me she’d passed away. I saw my three-year-old coming down the stairs after she tried to wake her up.
“Gracie came over and I explained to her that something had happened. She was upset, but she’s been really strong. She's like a rock at the minute, helping as much as she can. Ava still goes in at night and in the morning."
He added: “Ava and Mia have chosen mummy’s coffin. Ava wanted it to be pink and glittery. Mia, even though she can’t talk, blinks and tells me what she wants. She kept pointing at the purple one so we went for a purple glittery one.”
Laura qualified as a nurse in 2016, the same year she married Carl at Milton Church. For their anniversary next year, the pair wanted to take the three children with them to Disneyland Paris. The first day in the park would have been their wedding anniversary.
Laura’s funeral will be held at Carmountside Crematorium next month and Disney Princesses will be in attendance.
A family friend has set up a GoFundMe page in honour of Laura to support the family during this time.
An inquest has been opened to determine the cause of death.