‘Covid broke her’: Boy, five, finds his mother dead at home after her phobia of going outside got worse during lockdown
- Katie Simms, 32, was found dead in her home in Kettering, Northamptonshire
- She was found unresponsive by her five-year-old son, Archie, on September 28
- Her brother believes the lockdown ‘broke her’ as she could not visit their parents
A five-year-old boy found his mother dead after her phobia of going outside got worse during the coronavirus lockdown.
Mother-of-one Katie Simms, 32, was discovered unresponsive by her son, Archie, 5, in the living room of her home in Kettering, Northamptonshire on September 28.
Her brother said she had been ‘struggling’ for a number of years but he believes the lockdown ‘broke her’ as she couldn’t visit their parents.
Mother-of-one Katie Simms, 32, was found dead by her son, Archie, 5, in the living room of her home in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Pictured: Katie and her son
Police attended the scene at Haynes Road in Kettering and a report is being prepared for the coroner.
The death is not being treated as suspicious, Northamptonshire Police confirmed.
Katie’s brother, David Simms, said the young mother had been badly affected by the death of their older brother, Barry, who took his own life in 2015.
Barry Gunn, 40, had been suffering with PTSD after serving with the army in Sierra Leone with The Royal Anglian Regiment.
Katie’s brother, David Simms, said the young mother developed a ‘phobia’ of going outside after he brother Barry Gunn, pictured, took his own life in 2015
Before his death, Katie was an outgoing person who loved to socialise but after her brother died, she developed a ‘phobia’ of not going outside.
David told Northants Live: ‘I think Covid broke her to be honest.
‘She couldn’t get to visit my mom, because she’s got breathing difficulties so couldn’t leave the house to visit.
David Simms, pictured, said she had been struggling’ for a number of years but he believes the lockdown ‘broke her’ as she couldn’t visit their parents
‘My dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer, he’s now got a tumour so can’t travel, so lockdown has basically broke us all.’
David Simms, a father-of-two who lives in Coalville, Leicestershire, said he broke down when he heard the tragic news.
‘We couldn’t help her as best we could, it feels like we’ve failed,’ he said.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Katie’s funeral with any extra money to be put into a trust fund for her son Archie.
Northamptonshire Police have been contacted for comment.
