Mum’s pain after sudden passing of school worker
THE mother of a young classroom assistant who died suddenly has described her as a “lovely person” with a “big heart”.
Charlotte Toner worked at St Paul’s Primary School and Nursery in Belfast.
She was found dead in her bed at home by her parents Helen and Gerard on September 26. Attempts by emergency services to revive her proved unsuccessful.
Mrs Toner told the Irish News that a post-mortem examination had proved inconclusive. She said the family was waiting on toxicology results.
The family is from the Blacks Road area of west Belfast and Charlotte was a past pupil of Malone Integrated Collegeand St Louise’s Comprehensive College.
She had studied for her teaching assistant qualifications at night classes and also worked part-time for Iceland.
On the morning of Charlotte’s death St Paul’s posted a tribute on their Facebook page.
“Miss Toner had been working in St Paul’s as a classroom assistant for the last year,” it said.
“In that short time she became such a feature in our school, loved and admired by so many children and staff.
“She contributed so much to the life, work and atmosphere within the school and her sudden and untimely passing has been so hard on her family, friends and school community of St Paul’s.”
Helen Toner said the loss of their daughter had been a “nightmare” for the family.
“She was going to bed as normal. Her and her best friend, they had plans to look out for a wee house. They were quite excited about it and she was saying they had booked a viewing,” she told the Irish News.
She described Charlotte as a “lovely person” with a “big heart” and “bubbly personality”.