In April 2023, Daisy McKenzie was enjoying life as a busy boy mum. Her son, Albie, had just celebrated his first birthday, a younger sibling to Caden, now 18, Jacob, 16, and Milo, five.
'He’d just had a big chocolate cake, and we all sang to him,' Daisy, 37, who is married to Eion, 51, tells Metro. 'Albie was our fourth boy. The first thing he learnt how to do was clap, so he used to clap for all of us.'
'He liked being in the garden, playing with dinosaurs, and he’d always go up the slide instead of down it!'
On Thursday, April 27, Albie went off to nursery, and even took his very first bus ride.
'Back home, he had his dinner, but he was a little tired from nursery, so I took him up to bed early,' says Daisy. 'His dad was tickling him on his nose and tummy which was making him laugh. He fell asleep happy and healthy.'
But on the morning Friday, April 28, Daisy went to check up on her son, who was unresponsive.
'I remember doing CPR, shouting to Eion to call 999, and the rest is a blur.'
While Daisy can’t recall exactly how long the paramedics fought to save her son, eventually she was given the devastating news that her little boy had died.
'It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before,' she says.
With Daisy still holding Albie in her arms, and Eion downstairs with their three other boys, the paramedics explained that police officers would soon be arriving at their home in Inverness, Scotland.
'I remember the paramedic saying: “There’s about to be a lot of people here.” 'It was so confusing and overwhelming. My child had just died, and now there were officers in my home.
'I didn’t really have time to think or process, I was just swept along.'
The SUDC UK is a charity which supports families affected by Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). Their website states that, in this scenario, 'the police will be involved as standard procedure, but this does not mean that [parents] are under suspicion.'
However, it was still a 'distressing' situation for Daisy.
'I had to go downstairs to speak to the police,' she says. 'I asked the paramedics to keep holding Albie. I didn’t want him to be put back in his cot and left alone.'
'Everyone was lovely, and very understanding, but I suddenly felt like I was under suspicion of some sort.'
'I thought: “Gosh, did I do something wrong?” Even though I knew I hadn’t.
'The police even had to take some of Albie’s things away, including his bedding. He used to sleep with a rainbow pillow, and they took that too.'
What is Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC)?
SUDC UK define SUDC as: 'The unexpected death of a child aged between one to 18 years that remains unexplained.
'Around 40 children are affected every year in the UK, comparable to 1-2 seemingly healthy children dying every fortnight, often going to sleep and never waking up.
'SUDC UK is a registered charity dedicated to awareness, research and family support.'
Next, Albie was taken to hospital. Daisy went with her son, where she was asked to give a statement and blood samples.
'A nurse held Albie in another room, while I gave my statement,' she says. 'It took an hour. I wish I’d had that with him.'
Albie was taken to a hospital in Aberdeen for a post-mortem, which is over two hours away. The family were not able to see him for three weeks.
'Every day just felt so long because I wanted him back in Inverness.
'I was phoning every day to ask if there was an update. I was so full of fear that I might have done something wrong, or missed that he was unwell in some way. I just wanted answers.'
Around three weeks later, the family were told that Albie’s cause of death was SUDC, meaning there was no explanation for why he passed away.
'That was difficult for us because I wanted information,' says Daisy. 'I wanted to know if there anything I could have done.
'But there’s no way to prevent it and there’s no way to predict it.'
As Daisy and Eion struggled to understand what had happened, they were also trying to support their other children. The boys’ school offered counselling support and allowed them to leave lessons whenever they needed to.
'I was so worried about them. I was still a mum to them, so I was so conscious thinking, “How are they coping?”'
With Albie returned back to Aberdeen, Daisy would visit him at the funeral home.
'They let me go at all hours of the day,' she says. 'They even stayed open late.'
Albie was eventually laid to rest on May 24, 2023.
'I spoke at his funeral, there was so much I still wanted to say to him.'
'It was probably a blubber and mess, but it didn’t matter. We played Taylor Swift.
'Everyone was remembering him and talking about how wonderful he was.'
One year and eight months on from Albie’s death, and the police investigation was officially closed which was a 'relief' for the family. Due to a back log of other cases, it took longer than was expected.
Now, almost three years later, and Daisy says grief has been difficult to navigate.
'I can feel about five emotions in one day. My stages of grief haven’t followed a neat timeline at all. They’ve been messy and jumbled together.'
Daisy says it’s also surprising to learn that happiness and sadness can exist together. This was the case when she welcomed a new baby boy, Bhodi.
'It’s only recently that I’ve learned that the two emotions can coexist,' she says. 'Having Bhodi was quite a whirlwind because when I was pregnant, I was so anxious.
'But since he’s been here, he’s just such a fun little baby. He’s like a little comedian.
'I feel like Albie sort of chose him for us because he knew what we needed.'
Bhodi’s middle name is Albie.
'I thought that’ll be quite nice when he grows up and people say, “What’s your middle name after?”
'He’ll be able to say, “That’s the name of my big brother.”'
Daisy was 'extra cautious' with Bhodi, and in the run up to his first birthday and two week mark, the age Albie died, Daisy describes being on red alert.
'I probably had him at the doctors quite a few times that month just to get him checked over.'
The family now marks Albie’s birthday each year with charitable projects that reflect the things he would have loved.
'I’m trying to raise money for things that I think he would enjoy' such as planting a community garden, as Albie loved being outdoors.
Albie continues to be woven into everyday family life. Daisy and Eoin buy each child a Christmas bauble every year, including one for Albie. They also write his name in the sand during beach trips to Nairam Beach, about five miles away from their home, and a teddy bear made from Albie’s baby clothes accompanies them on holidays and special days out.
Recently, Caden turned 18, and even got Albie’s date of birth tattooed on his forearm.
'Usually parents would be probably a bit annoyed about a tattoo, but I’m so proud that he did that, I really was quite touched,' says Daisy.
When people ask how many children she has, Daisy’s answer is simple.
'Sometimes I think maybe it makes people a little bit uncomfortable, but it would make me more uncomfortable not to mention Albie. I always say I’ve got five boys.'
