Tragic Peebles mum died from a brain haemorrhage

Amanda Cox, 34, of Peebles, gave birth to her son Murray, who was born prematurely – weighing only 3lb 7oz – at the the Borders General Hospital at Melrose on Wednesday, December 6.

Amanda and Murray were transferred to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in Little France from the Borders hospital following complications.

Once there, Amanda remained on the maternity ward while Murray was being tended to in the specialist care unit downstairs.

On the afternoon of Monday, December 10, she left her ward to visit her son.

Exactly what happened to Amanda in the course of the next few hours is, as yet, a mystery.

She was reported missing after staff realised she had not been seen since 3pm.

After a frantic search of the building and the grounds by hospital staff and police, Amanda was found in a rarely-used stairwell alive but fighting for her life, dressed in only a T-shirt, pyjama trousers and slippers, seven hours later.

Despite attempts to save her life, she was pronounced dead soon after.

The registrar office in Peebles confirmed earlier this week that Alison had died of an intracranial haemorrhage – bleeding in the brain – and that her death had been recorded at 11.08pm.

At the time, a source said: “Nurses on her ward might’ve thought she was with her baby and those on the specialist care unit might’ve thought she was on her ward – it’s a tragic set of events.”

And a family friend said: “Amanda had been suffering headaches even before she had been in hospital for the birth and was due to see a specialist.

“Apparently she was going back to her room for medication but took a wrong turning and came out of the neonatal ward into a disused ward.”

Amanda’s funeral took place in Peebles at the end of December.

Many tributes were paid to the young mum, and an online fundraiser, launched by a family friend in a bid to meet her funeral costs, raised more than £17,700.

The police investigation into the circumstances of her death is still ongoing.