Daughter pays tribute to ‘best mum ever’ after unexplained death

A Dundee midwife says she is eternally grateful her mum got to meet her newborn grandson, before she died in unexplained circumstances.

Amanda Telfer, 49, was discovered on rail tracks at Cupar station in the early hours of last Sunday and the circumstances which led to her death are unknown.

Despite paramedics attending, the mum-of-four could not be saved.

Amanda’s daughter, Patrice Keogh, 28, a midwife at Ninewells said her only consolation was that her mum was able to meet her son Freddie, who was born prematurely last month.

Patrice, who lives in Inchture with her Dundee-born husband Matthew and new baby, said: “When Freddie was born five weeks early on November 15 we were obviously very worried and concerned.

“We didn’t know why he came along early. Now we are so grateful he did.

“He wasn’t due to be born until December 18, but if he had come then my mum would never have met her grandson.

“It’s going to bring me some comfort to know that mum got to meet Freddie.”

Patrice said that she, along with her twin sister Trish and younger sister Courtney, 20, and brother Ryan, 16, were all devastated at the sudden and unexplained death of their mum.

Patrice said: “So far we don’t know what happened to mum.

“She was in Cupar to visit a friend but we have no further answers as to why she was near the rail track or what actually happened.

“We asked the police if they thought she had taken her own life but they are confident that didn’t happen. However, we are no further forward to knowing exactly what did happen.”

Patrice said that her mum had just celebrated the birth of Freddie, was looking forward to the birth of another grandchild and had also just booked a holiday.

She said: “She was also looking forward to spending Christmas with all of us.

“We are a very close family and spent as much time together as we could this year. We face-timed each other every week and spoke on the phone all the time.”

Patrice said she last saw her mum on the Friday before she died.

She said: “Mum was the glue that held the family together. She was the kind of mum you could go to to ask for support, advice and help with anything. She was a brilliant mum – the best mum ever.

“Christmas is going to be very difficult this year when we should have all been together.”

Patrice’s friend, Abigail Snee, who lives in Dundee, has launched a fundraising page in support of Courtney and Ryan who hope to continue to live in the home they shared with Amanda in Edinburgh.

Patrice said the family has been overwhelmed by the support they had and the response to the fundraising page.

She said: “We plan that this money will be used mostly to help Courtney and Ryan. They need the support most. They lived at home with mum and we would love to be able to keep them in the house there together.

“So many people have contributed and the messages of support have been amazing from so many people. Many we don’t even know but many others that have been in touch with us for the first time in many years.”

Abigail said: “It is hard to even comprehend the devastation and grief all of her family will be feeling right now.

“In an instant their lives have been changed forever with this heartbreaking news.

“Suddenly overnight they have found themselves having to to deal with finances and funeral costs that could never have been anticipated.”

She added: “This GoFundMe page has been made to help raise money for the funeral arrangements of Amanda and to help her four children financially during this awful time in their lives.

“Every penny will mean the world to them, in helping them not have to worry about money while they grieve the sudden loss of their wonderful mother.”

Abigail set a target of £15,000 and already £7,330 has been raised.

Meanwhile, British Transport Police officers have said that the death wasn’t being treated as suspicious.

A spokesman said: “Officers were called to Cupar station at 2.47am on December 6 following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

“Paramedics also attended however sadly a 49-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the procurator fiscal.”