![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_5723-a95f-e1780654546572.jpeg\")
\n\t\tAlbie had died in his sleep, just two weeks after his first birthday (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tAlbie had died in his sleep, just two weeks after his first birthday (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n
In April 2023, Daisy McKenzie was enjoying life as a busy boy mum.<\/a><\/p>\n Her son, Albie, had just celebrated his first birthday, a younger sibling<\/a> to Caden, now 18, Jacob, 16, and Milo, five.<\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019d just had a big chocolate cake, and we all sang to him,\u2019 Daisy, 37, who is married to Eion, 51, tells Metro<\/strong>. <\/p>\n \u2018Albie was our fourth boy. The first thing he learnt how to do was clap, so he used to clap for all of us.<\/p>\n \u2018He liked being in the garden, playing with dinosaurs<\/a>, and he\u2019d always go up the slide instead of down it!<\/p>\n On Thursday, April 27, Albie went off to nursery, and even took his very first bus ride.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018Back home, he had his dinner, but he was a little tired from nursery, so I took him up to bed early,\u2019 says Daisy.<\/p>\n \u2018His dad was tickling him on his nose and tummy which was making him laugh. He fell asleep happy and healthy.\u2019<\/p>\n But on the morning Friday, April 28, Daisy went to check up on her son, who was unresponsive. \u2018I remember doing CPR, shouting to Eion to call 999, and the rest is a blur.\u2019<\/p>\n While Daisy can\u2019t recall exactly how long the paramedics fought to save her son, eventually she was given the devastating news that her little boy had died. \u2018It was like nothing I\u2019ve ever felt before,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018I remember the paramedic saying: \u201cThere\u2019s about to be a lot of people here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018It was so confusing and overwhelming. My child had just died, and now there were officers in my home. <\/p>\n \u2018I didn\u2019t really have time to think or process, I was just swept along.\u2019<\/p>\n The SUDC UK is a charity<\/a> which supports families affected by Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). Their website states that, in this scenario, \u2018the police will be involved as standard procedure, but this does not mean that [parents] are under suspicion.\u2019<\/p>\n However, it was still a \u2018distressing\u2019 situation for Daisy. \u2018I had to go downstairs to speak to the police,\u2019 she says. \u2018I asked the paramedics to keep holding Albie. I didn\u2019t want him to be put back in his cot and left alone.<\/p>\n \u2018Everyone was lovely, and very understanding<\/a>, but I suddenly felt like I was under suspicion of some sort.<\/p>\n \u2018I thought: \u201cGosh, did I do something wrong?\u201d Even though I knew I hadn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u2018The police even had to take some of Albie\u2019s things away, including his bedding. He used to sleep with a rainbow pillow, and they took that too.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWhat is Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC)?\t\t\t<\/p>\n SUDC UK define SUDC as: \u2018The unexpected death of a child aged between one to 18 years that remains unexplained. <\/p>\n \u2018Around 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. <\/p>\n \u2018SUDC UK is a registered charity dedicated to awareness, research and family support.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t Next, Albie was taken to hospital. Daisy went with her son, where she was asked to give a statement and blood samples.<\/p>\n \u2018A nurse held Albie in another room, while I gave my statement,\u2019 she says. \u2018It took an hour. I wish I\u2019d had that with him.\u2019<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u2018Every day just felt so long because I wanted him back in Inverness.<\/p>\n \u2018I 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.\u2019<\/p>\n Around three weeks later, the family were told that Albie\u2019s cause of death was SUDC, meaning there was no explanation for why he passed away.<\/p>\n \u2018That was difficult for us because I wanted information,\u2019 says Daisy. \u2018I wanted to know if there anything I could have done.<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018But there\u2019s no way to prevent it and there\u2019s no way to predict it.\u2019<\/p>\n As Daisy and Eion struggled to understand what had happened, they were also trying to support their other children.<\/p>\n \t\t The boys\u2019 school<\/a> offered counselling support and allowed them to leave lessons whenever they needed to.<\/p>\n \u2018I was so worried about them. I was still a mum to them, so I was so conscious thinking, \u201cHow are they coping?\u201d\u2018<\/p>\n With Albie returned back to Aberdeen, Daisy would visit him at the funeral home. \u2018They let me go at all hours of the day,\u2019 she says. \u2018They even stayed open late.\u2019<\/p>\n Albie was eventually laid to rest on May 24, 2023. \u2018I spoke at his funeral, there was so much I still wanted to say to him.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018It was probably a blubber and mess, but it didn\u2019t matter. We played Taylor Swift. \u2018Everyone was remembering him and talking about how wonderful he was.\u2019<\/p>\n One year and eight months on from Albie\u2019s death, and the police investigation was officially closed which was a \u2018relief\u2019 for the family. Due to a back log of other cases, it took longer than was expected.<\/p>\n Now, almost three years later, and Daisy says grief has been difficult to navigate. \u2018I can feel about five emotions in one day. My stages of grief haven\u2019t followed a neat timeline at all. They\u2019ve been messy and jumbled together.\u2019<\/p>\n Daisy says it\u2019s also surprising to learn that happiness and sadness can exist together. This was the case when she welcomed a new baby boy,<\/a> Bhodi.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018It\u2019s only recently that I\u2019ve learned that the two emotions can coexist,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n \u2018Having Bhodi was quite a whirlwind because when I was pregnant, I was so anxious.<\/p>\n \u2018But since he\u2019s been here, he\u2019s just such a fun little baby. He\u2019s like a little comedian.<\/p>\n \u2018I feel like Albie sort of chose him for us because he knew what we needed.\u2019<\/p>\n Bhodi\u2019s middle name is Albie. \u2018I thought that\u2019ll be quite nice when he grows up and people say, \u2018What\u2019s your middle name after?\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019ll be able to say, \u201cThat\u2019s the name of my big brother.\u201d\u2018<\/p>\n Daisy was \u2018extra cautious\u2019 with Bhodi<\/a>, and in the run up to his first birthday and two week mark, the age Albie died, Daisy describes being on red alert.<\/p>\n \u2018I probably had him at the doctors quite a few times that month just to get him checked over.\u2019<\/p>\n The family now marks Albie\u2019s birthday each year with charitable projects that reflect the things he would have loved.<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m trying to raise money for things that I think he would enjoy\u2019 such as planting a community garden, as Albie loved being outdoors.\u2019<\/p>\n Albie continues to woven into everyday family life. Daisy and Eoin buy each child a Christmas bauble every year, including one for Albie.<\/p>\n \t\t 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\u2019s baby clothes accompanies them on holidays and special days out.<\/p>\n Recently, Caden turned 18, even got Albie\u2019s date of birth tattooed on his forearm.<\/p>\n \u2018Usually parents would be probably a bit annoyed about a tattoo, but I\u2019m so proud that he did that, I really was quite touched,\u2019 says Daisy.<\/p>\n When people ask how many children she has, Daisy\u2019s answer is simple.<\/p>\n \u2018Sometimes 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\u2019ve got five boys.\u2019<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-2fc9.png\")
\n\t\t\u2018It was like nothing I\u2019ve ever felt before,\u2019 (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_3100-db73.jpeg\")
\n\t\tDaisy went into Albie\u2019s room in the morning and he had passed away overnight (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_3024-f7a1.jpeg\")
\n\t\tThere was no explanation for why Albie passed away (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_5156-e568.jpeg\")
\n\t\tCaden and Albie (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_4385-a1e6-rotated.jpeg\")
\n\t\tDaisy\u2019s grief was \u2018jumbled together\u2019 (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_0023-95e4.jpeg\")
\n\t\tAlbie continues to woven into everyday family life (Picture:\u00a0Daisy McKenzie)<\/p>\n
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