The heartbroken family of a young beautician who took her own life has offered a piece of advice to every young Australian after she was in the morgue for four weeks because of debate about who owned her body.
Caitlin Thornton, 21, was found unconscious at a Cessnock home, in NSW‘s Hunter region, on March 8 after attempting to take her own life.
She died in hospital three days later, leaving behind two young sons.
Adding to her mum Kylie Bailey’s grief, the body of Caitlin was left lying in the morgue for four weeks because there was debate about who was her next of kin.
Caitlin had ended her tumultuous relationship with her boyfriend Alex Passfield, according to her mum.
Young mum-of-two Caitlin Thornton (pictured) tragically took her own life in March
Despite the couple breaking up, Mr Passfield was still regarded as next of kin and thus had ownership over her body.
Caitlin’s body was finally released earlier this week by Mr Passfield, a month after her tragic death.
Kylie told A Current Affair she was now lobbying for the law to be changed so other grieving families don’t suffer a similar heartbreak of having to debate who owns their child’s body.
‘Think you don’t need a will? Do you think you don’t own anything?’ she wrote.
‘Think again! You own your own body, without a will, you can be taken from your family after your death, that guy you broke up with can claim to be senior next of kin, they can just take you.
‘And the ones that truly love you, your family, your parents, your siblings must fight to bury you.’
Kylie said her ‘fight’ was starting.
‘For four weeks my precious little girl has been laying in a mortuary cold and bruised whilst we have to push our grief aside and fight to give her the send off she so deserves,’ she wrote.
‘Once our fight to get our daughter back is over, our fight to change the coroner’s court legislation into next of kin will start.’
Kylie said her daughter had a plan to raise her boys but that came to a tragic end in March.
‘She just wanted a future for her and the boys and wrote notes about it. She was so close,’ she said.
Kylie Bailey spent a month fighting for her daughter’s body to be released from a morgue
Caitlin’s grandmother Heather added: ‘It’s ripping our hearts apart.’
Family, friends and locals gathered at Shoal Bay on March 19 to place flowers into the ocean in Caitlin’s memory, including her father who travelled from New Zealand for the memorial.
One month on from Caitlin’s death, Ms Bailey can finally plan her daughter’s funeral.
‘Today is exactly one month since Caitlin had her life support turned off,’ she wrote on Tuesday, hours after the segment aired.
‘Thanks to the amazing neighbours and paramedics we were able to spend three more days with our precious girl before she gained her wings.
‘Exactly one month on, late this afternoon Caitlin’s next of kin has finally released her body for a funeral.
‘We finally get to lay our girl to rest in peace.
‘Thank you to everyone for your amazing support and condolences during this difficult time.’
Kylie Bailey (right) is relieved she can finally lay her daughter Caitlin (left) to rest
In the weeks prior to her death, Caitlin was preparing to embrace a fresh start in life and had just set up her own eyelash business.
Ms Bailey described her daughter as a beautiful, creative and artistic young woman and an ‘adoring loving mother’ who doted on her boys.
She’ll never forget the moment she learned what happened to her daughter.
‘We had a knock on the door from police and I just looked at him and said ‘is my daughter alive and he said no, she’s unconscious and they’re trying to revive her and you need to get to the hospital and meet her there to say goodbye,’ Ms Bailey recalled.
NSW Police confirmed at the time they were treating Caitlin’s death as a suspected self-harm incident.
‘A crime scene was established at the home and examined by specialist forensic police, and an investigation into the incident commenced,’ a spokesperson said.
‘Initial inquiries suggest the incident is not suspicious, and a report is being prepared for the information of the Coroner.’
If you or anyone you know needs support, contact Lifeline 131 114 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
Caitlin Thornton (pictured) leaves behind two little boys
Family and friends gathered at Shoal Bay on March 19 to place flowers into the ocean in Caitlin’s memory
