Family in shock after mother's sudden death

Martin Slack

THE devastated family of a teenage mother who collapsed and died in her boyfriend's arms hours after her 18th birthday party yesterday described the tragedy as a "complete mystery".

Amy Houghton had organised a party for 80 family and friends and her mother said she had drunk just had a couple of glasses of cider before leaving at about 1.30am.

She had just gone to bed with her boyfriend Pete Townson, 20, when she stopped breathing. Paramedics battled to save her but she was pronounced dead at hospital.

The young mum, from Brampton Bierlow, near Barnsley, leaves her five-month-old son Joshua. Tests carried out by pathologists have so far failed to find a cause of death.

Miss Houghton's mother Julie, 43, the head chef at a nursing home said: "She has always been fit and healthy and hardly drank and was very anti-drugs. Her death is a complete mystery."

Mrs Houghton, her husband Mick, 47, who works for a carpet firm and their youngest daughter Sarah, 14, have now been left to bring up little Joshua.

Amy was 18 on March 22 and held her birthday party last Saturday at a local social club. Her mother said she had been planning the party for months.

Mrs Houghton added: "She seemed to have a good time and really enjoyed herself. She always lived life to the full. She never went to the doctor's for anything out of the ordinary.

"She flew through her pregnancy and the childbirth. There was nothing wrong with her as far as we know. We just can't fathom out why she has passed away."

Amy went with her boyfriend after the party to stay at her grandmother's home near the club in Wath upon Dearne.

Mrs Houghton said: "She only had a couple of glasses of cider. She spent most of the time dancing to her favourite music. She left about 1.30am and she and Pete apparently watched television for a bit then went to bed.

"They were laid on the bed talking and then suddenly Amy's breathing became laboured, she collapsed and before anybody could do anything she was gone.

"She literally died in Pete's arms. The paramedics did their best and tried to revive her but she was pronounced dead at Barnsley Hospital."

Post-mortem tests on Amy have proved inconclusive and her family said they were "at a loss as to know what happened".

Miss Houghton was said to love club music and had many friends on Facebook. A Facebook site has been set up in her memory with hundreds of people leaving their condolences.

Amy had a part-time job as an Avon rep and was due to start a college course in administration in September at the nearby Dearne Valley College. She wanted to be an accountant and planned to get her own home.

Her mother said: "She doted on Joshua. He didn't want for anything. She was really proud of the baby and liked to show him off. He's such a gorgeous little thing.

"After Joshua's birth she didn't go out much, just socialised with friends and played on her computer. She was a very popular girl and lived life to the full. She filled everyone's lives with fun and laughter. She packed so much into her short life.

"The last thing I expected was for my daughter to hold her 18th birthday party and not come home.

"When I left the party she said 'I'll see you tomorrow.' Sadly she never did."

An inquest has been opened and adjourned and the funeral will take place next week.

A spokesman for Barnsley Coroner's Office said: "We are carrying out further medical tests to try and ascertain the cause of death. The post-mortem was inconclusive."