Cleaners ‘could ease the trauma of home fatalities’

The family of a woman found dead in her bathroom have called for professional cleaning services to be used to minimise trauma following fatalities at home.

Ray Fleming found his mother Julie Fleming, aged 74, of Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin 11, dead in the bathroom of her home on April 18, 2015.

The woman’s daughter, Marion Halligan said she and her family were shocked and traumatised to lose their mother in sudden circumstances, but their pain was made worse when they saw the bathroom after her body had been removed.

“It was in an awful state,” said Ms Halligan. “So I think if something could be put in place to spare others that, a professional cleaning service perhaps. It’s not very nice to have to deal with.”

Mrs Fleming lived alone but received daily visits from her children, who brought meals and messages. Mr Fleming said she needed someone to check on her daily and that she spent much of her time in her chair in the sitting room, watching television.

The cause of death was an acute subdural hemorrhage sustained in a fall and the verdict was accidental death.

The family said that after the emergency services had left, the bathroom was left in a distressing state and said they hoped some service could be put in place to prevent another family experiencing similar trauma.