Grieving daughter of COVID-19 victim dies at mother's funeral

63-year-old Julie Murphy was being laid to rest at Atherstone Cemetery in Warwickshire when another tragedy struck the family. Julie's daughter, Laura Richards, collapsed at the cemetery as her mother was being buried. Richards' family tried to give her CPR until emergency services arrived. The mourning woman passed away from a heart attack. Family members shared the details of the dramatic turn of events on the day of Julie's funeral.

Julie had been cared for at Oldbury Grange nursing home, Nuneaton, Warks. The mother-of-four with multiple sclerosis and dementia needed round the clock care. However, the elderly woman was infected with the novel coronavirus at the nursing home. After testing positive, Julie passed away in a hospital on March 15.

Family members including Richards and her two sisters, Lisa Green and Kelly Murphy, were a part of the small group of mourners at the cemetery. Julie was laid to rest beside her husband who had passed away in 2012.

Witnesses claim that Richards started saying that she was having breathing difficulty just as her mother's coffin was being lowered into the grave. Richards collapsed near the grave.

Green told The Sun that she, her husband, and her sister tried to take turns performing CPR on Richards. At the same time, they dialled 999 and alerted emergency services. Warwickshire Police confirmed that they got a "welfare concern" call around 12:30 pm. West Midlands Ambulance dispatched two ambulances. Richards was critical when she was rushed to University Hospital Coventry.

At the hospital, Richards passed away shortly after being admitted.

Richard's half-sister, Sadie Murphy, confirmed that a massive heart attack was the cause of her death. Sadie stated that she was unable to attend the funeral as she is at risk of COVID-19 since she has had a kidney transplant. However, her daughter had attended the funeral service.

Sadie believes that their mother's condition at the hospital and her death took a mental and physical toll on Richards. Losing her mother and her sister in such a manner has been like a horror film for Sadie.

Richards was buried next to her mother yesterday while a small group of five mourners attended the funeral.