A 40-year-old British mum and her unborn baby have died suddenly in Nigeria, leaving relatives to face the heartbreaking task of bringing them home to the United Kingdom.
Claire Chadwick, who had been living in the West African country in recent years, having moved from Cardiff, Wales, to be with her husband, died after suffering medical complications while 37 weeks pregnant.
Her sister Shannon, who lives in Newport, said Claire had started a new life for herself in the country, starting a TikTok account with her husband which gained thousands of followers as she shared videos about her married life, their faith and food challenges.
Claire tragically died after her unborn baby died in the womb. She then went on to develop sepsis and died from septic shock.
The Africa Media reports that her family are now facing the heartbreaking task of bringing Claire and her baby girl home to south Wales so they can be laid to rest. They have set up a fundraising page which has already raised £10,000 to help them do so.
“More than anything, we want them both returned so they can be laid to rest with dignity, surrounded by the family who love them,” Shannon explained.
She added that Claire leaves behind her 19-year-old son, who lives in Wales, as well as her husband and wider family “who loved her dearly”.
“She was a woman who lived her life in her own way and she will leave a lasting impression on everyone who knew her,” Shannon said.
Shannon said the response to the GoFundMe page has been “overwhelming”.
She also thanked Welsh charity REST which supports bereaved families whose loved ones have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Nigeria.”
The family’s appeal, titled “Bringing Claire home”, was launched by Shannon on October 30, with a target of £10,000 to meet the cost of repatriation and associated legal arrangements.
In the appeal, Shannon explained that the family was confronted with unexpected financial and administrative responsibilities at a time when they were still coming to terms with the deaths.
She said donations would be directed towards the official fees and arrangements necessary to return Claire to Britain.
A check of the family’s fundraising appeal showed that contributions had exceeded the £10,000 target, with more than 430 donations recorded
