My daughter died suddenly just hours after feeling unwell - I still think she’s going to walk through the door
A Lancashire family were left with hundreds of questions after a 34-year-old woman died unexpectedly.
Natalie-Anne Caine, from Rawtenstall, suddenly died on February 20, 2024 just hours after feeling unwell.
The 34-year-old, who worked at the Card Factory in the town, started vomiting and coughing in the morning.
She also said she was suffering from heart palpitations but her breathing seemed normal.
Her mother, Eileen, checked on her at around 11.10am before leaving for work at around midday.
Her father, Patrick, presumed that Natalie had gone to sleep, but later found her “unresponsive and cold” on her sister’s bed shortly after 3pm.
Natalie’s death was referred to the Lancashire coroner and featured in this week’s episode of Cause of Death on Channel 5.
Speaking on the show, Eileen said: “I walked in through the door and Natalie was upstairs on Bethany’s bed.
“There was a paramedic at the top of the stairs and he just said, ‘I’m really sorry, love, we just got here too late.’
“I just kept thinking I hope it’s a mistake, it can’t be real. It was just so hard to believe.”
Natalie’s death was referred to Senior Coroner, Dr James Adeley to establish an exact cause of death.
“We had a really good relationship. She was kind. She’s just going to be so missed by a lot of people,” Eileen added.
“I still think she’s gonna walk in through the door. The dog quite often sits behind the door at about 8.30pm thinking she’s still gonna come home.
“I still want to text her, I still want to call her and she’s not there.”
Natalie, her mum and younger sister were diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) in 1993.
It is a genetic condition that causes tumours to grow along the nerves, and is diagnosed in only one in 25,000 people in the UK.
Natalie was also diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition where the spine twists and curves to the side, when she was only seven.
“It definitely made her a stronger person because people are very quick to judge,” Eileen said.
Professor Suresh Chhetri explained that NF1 is a condition that affects many tissues and organs, including the skin, the nervous system, bones and heart.
“In some rare cases it can affect the muscles of the heart and can sometimes be fatal,” he said.
“That could potentially be one explanation, though we don’t know in this case. It is worrying.”
A post-mortem CT scan found Natalie’s heart was enlarged and that she had a suspected tumour of the nerve in her abdomen.
Dr Adeley said it was “unusual” for a 34-year-old to have an enlarged heart.
He also said the suspected benign tumour in her stomach would have to be investigated further to see if it contributed to her death.
An invasive post-mortem examination was requested as a result.
Eileen added: “When somebody dies suddenly, there’s just nothing. You’re just waiting for other people for answers.
“The waiting is really difficult, especially when you’re sat and you’re not occupied. Your brain jumps to all sorts of conclusions.”
During his examination, Pathologist Dr Mark Sissons said he could not find a cause of death in the abdomen or chest.
Natalie’s heart was subsequently sent to Professor Mary Sheppard in London for analysis.
There, it was established Natalie died from natural causes - a sudden cardiac death due to mitral valve disease.
Eileen said: “We have good days and we have bad days. There’s more bad days at the moment than good days, but we are coping.
“I’ll miss Natalie all the time. I’ll miss everything about her. It’s just so difficult that she’s not here.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the fact that she’s not here anymore.”
You can watch the episode of Cause of Death on My 5 by clicking HERE.