A Scottish mother described the devastating moment that she discovered that her son had died while she was on vacation in the Dominican Republic after checking a dog camera at her home.
Maryann Taylor, 52, was abroad in September when she noticed something unusual about her security images, which she had checked to see how her dogs are doing in her absence.
After seeing her two dogs strange, she asked a friend of her son, Craig, to visit the house.
Tragically enough, Craig, who would have celebrated his 31st birthday on March 27, was found dead on the kitchen floor.
His friend looked through the window, saw his lifeless body and the police were called. Craig had been alone for hours before he was discovered.
Maryann, who suffers from a heart condition and arthritis, has since been traumatized, unable to escape the memories of the moment.
Every day she walks past the room where Craig died and every night she struggles with flashbacks from the tragic scene.
Maryann Taylor, 52, (right) was abroad in September when she noticed something unusual on her security images. Depicted with her son, Craig
Maryann told The Daily Record: 'The first thing I do in the morning is pass through his empty bedroom.
'The second thing I do is enter the room where he died and all those hours were left alone.
“While I'm trapped in this house, I can hardly get through a day.”
Since the devastating loss of her son, Maryann has fought for a new town hall that fits her needs.
She has argued the Edinburgh council for a home with room for her two dogs, as well as space for her daughter and caretaker to visit.
Despite her requests, she says that she has offered unsuitable property, leaving them in an incredibly difficult situation.
She said: 'I can't get help anywhere. I am one person, I am disabled and I have a heart condition and arthritis.
'My lifeline is my two dogs, I need a house with a garden for them. I can't go in a flat, I can't go up the stairs and there is nowhere to go for the dogs. '
Add: “I just feel that the system is broken.”
Despite her struggles, Maryann continues to fight the system with the help of her MSP, Alex Cole-Hamilton.
He described her case as one of the most tragic he has come across, and added that he works closely with the council to find a solution.
Maryann's doctor has written a letter in which she explained her deteriorating mental health, who has deteriorated since the death of Craig.
Despite her struggles, Maryann continues to fight the system with the help of her MSP, Alex Cole-Hamilton (above)
The letter states that Maryann has a history of fear and depression, and since the death of her son she has been struggling with suicidal thoughts, flashbacks and serious need.
The letter also requires a house without stairs and a bath to relieve her pain, as well as a space for her beloved dogs.
The Edinburgh council has confirmed that they are aware of the situation of Maryann and work with her to find a suitable solution.
However, the mother remains abandoned by the system and is struggling to cope with her grief and the overwhelming sense of loss.
“I'm so tired of fighting,” she admitted. “It is hard to believe that it took me so long to break down.”
A spokesperson for the Scotland of the police said: 'Around 12.30 pm on Sunday, September 29, 2024, we received a report of the death of a 30-year-old man in a house in the Cotlaws area of Kirliston.
'Death is currently inexplicable and investigating the circumstances surrounding death are underway. A report was sent to the PROCURAST Fiscale. '
